When the Miami Dolphins grabbed Kenneth Grant at No. 13, the expectation was simple: future starter, day one impact. Anyone who watched him in college probably thought the same. But maybe those expectations needed a little more patience. Grant’s NFL debut has been sluggish, and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver hasn’t exactly tiptoed around the subject.

When Weaver was asked to comment, he didn’t go easy on the rookie. “He’s a tremendous talent, but until we match that talent with the necessary technique and fundamentals, it won’t be reached,” the defensive coach said.

Exactly. Everyone knows how his ceiling really is, but it’ll take some polishing to reach it. And if these first four games of the season have told us anything, there’s a lot of work that needs to be done.

Four weeks in, and he accounts for 9 tackles, zero tackles for loss, and no quarterback hits. Pretty much nothing that jumps off the stat sheet. The analytics don’t do him any favors either: Pro Football Focus slapped him with a 35.7 grade, ranking 86th out of 89 defensive linemen who’ve logged at least 100 snaps this year.

“I understand the expectations of a first-round pick; nobody puts more pressure on that kid than himself. I try to exercise caution; let’s not judge this kid after four games. He is going to be a good player in this league because of his work ethic and his want to. There’s been flashes, it’ll be more consistent, just we’ve got to allow that maturation and growth to occur,” Weaver added.

And the Dolphins can sure use an in-form Kenneth Grant, considering their rushing situation. So far, they’ve allowed 5.1 yards per rushing attempt, only good enough for 29th in the league. Things don’t look too good on the interior, either, where the Dolphines have had trouble with shedding the blocks.

“I need to be better with my hands. I’ve got all the power in the world. But without hands, it kind of makes taking those blocks on hard. I’m just focusing on my hands and hips,” Grant said. We tend to forget he is only 21, but the Dolphins need a much-improved version of Kenneth Grant sooner than later. Especially amidst all those injuries.

Dolphins’ concerning injury report ahead of Panthers

The Dolphins are quite literally limping into week 5. They’re 1-3, with their lone win coming against the winless Jets, and every other outing has been a reminder of how fragile this roster looks when injuries pile up. Things hit a new low when the one bright spot of the season, Tyreek Hill, went down with a dislocated knee.

The latest injury report? No big changes from last week, which sounds fine until you realize it means guys still aren’t getting back. Corner Storm Duck hasn’t practiced again, still dealing with that ankle he rolled against the Colts last month.

That leaves the Dolphins’ already-thin secondary even more exposed, especially with Artie Burns and Kader Kohou lost for the year back in training camp.

And the injuries don’t stop there.

Wideout Cedrick Wilson Jr. was also a no-go at practice. On most teams, maybe that doesn’t move the needle. But when your superstar receiver is already sidelined, suddenly every single target counts. Miami can’t afford to lose even middle-of-the-pack depth in that room right now.

They’re heading into week 5 to play the Panthers, who are also 1-3 and just as desperate. They’re facing their own injury woes. Chuba Hubbard has been dinged up, tight end JT Sanders is battling an ankle, corner Chau Smith-Wade has a chest issue, and defensive tackle Turk Wharton is nursing a toe. It’s not exactly a clean bill of health on either sideline.