The Miami Dolphins had chosen defensive tackle Kenneth Grant as their first-round pick in this year’s NFL draft with a lot of hope. But five weeks into the season, the Mike McDaniel-coached team is 1-4, and Grant is one of the lower-ranked defensive linemen in the NFL.

When asked about Grant’s early-season struggles, Phins’ defensive star Minkah Fitzpatrick did not hold back. “In regards to motivation, that’s something that KG has to do himself. You’re a professional football player,” he said. “If you need any external motivation, which I’m not saying he does, I’m just saying, in regards to what you’re presenting, if you need any type of external motivation, then you’re in a bad spot.”

Starting three of five games in his first NFL season, he has only 11 tackles (4 solo), 0.5 sacks, and 1 QB hit to his name. Meanwhile, rookie guard Jonah Savaiinaea, picked 37th overall in the 2nd round, has also played 100% of the team’s 279 offensive snaps, but hasn’t clicked so far.

He has allowed 14 pressures already, which puts him at the 101st spot in the NFL, per PFF. That’s far from ideal. And while Fitzpatrick is willing to cut the new guys some slack, there’s still very little room for error.

“I know that they’re trying to sharpen their tools and get better,” the safety added. “You know, there’s a period for grace, but then there’s also a period for sharpening. And even though they’re young, you know, they’re out there on the field and they had to do their job.”

At Michigan last year, Grant was a Third-Team All-American, finishing with three sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, and five pass deflections. The Dolphins now need him to bring that same disruptive energy to the NFL. According to defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, he needs to polish his technique in order to do justice to his talent.

Of course, the rookies have a lot to work on. However, Mike McDaniel refuses to put the entire blame on them.

Mike McDaniel delivers blunt message to Dolphins veterans amid rookie struggles

When ESPN reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques asked Mike McDaniel for his thoughts on the rookie situation, the coach made it clear that it falls on the veterans to make things easier for the rookies.

“They’re made of the right stuff and with that, there is a belief with those guys that they’ll make it through to the other side,” McDaniel said. “The biggest thing to me is that you understand those guys need to get better, but with rookies … we should have fewer things come up from veterans so that it doesn’t compound on top of things you’re working through (with rookies) No one’s thinking that we’re not doing well because of our rookies.”

McDaniel’s isn’t wrong there. For instance, Kenneth Grant cannot be the only player responsible for the team’s collective failure as a defensive unit. With just 1 interception so far, they are sitting at 30th rank among 32 teams. With 11 sacks, they come in 16th position.

And while McDaniel has called for greater cooperation from veterans, Fitzpatrick, too, has promised to do what it takes. “I know as leaders, we’re going to push them to do their job. And as young guys, they’re going to, they’re going to turn the corner,” he said.

Well, they’d better figure out how to turn the corner fast, or they might find themselves face to face with a dead end.