The Miami Dolphins elevated wide receiver Jalen Reagor from the practice squad Saturday, adding another option for Kyle McCord ahead of his first NFL start against the Indianapolis Colts.
Miami announced Reagor’s elevation with its receiving group dealing with two injuries. Jared Wayne has been ruled out with a quadriceps injury, while Chris Bell was listed as doubtful with a knee injury on the team’s Friday injury report.
The move gives McCord another available target as he takes over following Malik Willis’ placement on injured reserve. Reagor’s elevation does not establish how Miami will divide the receiving snaps Sunday.
Jeff Hafley explained Dolphins’ receiver-elevation decision
Before the transaction, Jeff Hafley was asked whether working with McCord on the scout team could help receivers such as Reagor earn an elevation. The coach instead pointed to Miami’s available depth in his Friday news conference.
“Not because of his chemistry. We’ll see how the wide receiver depth looks,” Hafley said.
Hafley explained that scout-team assignments require players to imitate an opponent’s routes and quarterback progressions. That work differs from rehearsing the timing of Miami’s own passing offense, making shared scout-team repetitions an incomplete measure of a quarterback-receiver connection.
Bell’s injury came when he was hit in the knee during practice, according to Hafley. The coach said the issue was unrelated to Bell’s previous surgery and did not expect it to keep him out long term.
What Jalen Reagor brings to Miami’s game roster
The Dolphins’ announcement lists Reagor with 86 receptions for 1,037 yards and four touchdowns across 64 career games. Philadelphia selected him 21st overall in 2020, and his NFL experience also includes stops with Minnesota, New England and the Los Angeles Chargers.
He also has experience returning both punts and kickoffs. That gives Miami a player with a special teams background as it fills out Sunday’s roster, although the announcement did not specify a return assignment.
Miami also elevated quarterback Brady Cook and signed kicker Zane Gonzalez from the practice squad to the active roster. Cook’s addition provides another quarterback alongside McCord, while Gonzalez’s signing follows the questions about his Dolphins future earlier this week.
