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Jeff Hafley Delivers Encouraging Dolphins News Ahead of Lions Game
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- Jeff Hafley Delivers Encouraging Dolphins News Ahead of Lions Game
Miami Dolphins rookie left guard Kadyn Proctor is back in the lineup and the team is getting a massive boost up front.
After clearing concussion protoco l, Proctor has been cleared to return and will start Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions, coach Jeff Hafley announced.
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Following the Dolphins' Week 7 victory over the New York Jets, Proctor began displaying concussion-like symptoms. He missed Miami's Week 8 loss to the New England Patriots after being placed in the protocol.
Miami's rushing attack struggled without Proctor
Proctor returned to practice Wednesday and fully participated every day this week.
Miami certainly missed Proctor against the Patriots, particularly as the team struggled to run the ball effectively. The Dolphins finished with just 74 rushing yards, marking the first time they failed to reach 100 yards on the ground since their Week 1 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
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"He's just a good player," Dolphins offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said Thursday about Proctor. "Any time you miss a good player and he's not available in the game, it just obviously limits what you're able to do."
Slowik acknowledged that backup Jarrett Kingston improved as the game progressed, particularly in the second half, but emphasized Proctor's impact on the offensive line.
"I think [Jarrett] Kingston, it started off a little slow really for everybody across the board. I thought we started slow. But King, as the game went on, I thought he kind of fell into a rhythm and he started playing better. Especially in the second half, I thought he really honed into what he needed to do, by and large.
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"Still, when Proct's out there, you can feel Proctor's presence out there on most every play. He's just a massive guy who can move, he displaces people. He's putting defensive tackles five, six yards down the field. He caps off at the end of plays. He just gives everybody a lot of energy when he's out there, and that's not even including what you can do with him scheme-wise."
Proctor was selected 12th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, making him the first draft pick of first-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. He played left tackle at Alabama but has exclusively lined up at left guard during his rookie season.
With Proctor back in the starting lineup , the Dolphins will have their top rookie offensive lineman available as they look to get their ground game back on track against Detroit. His return could significantly boost an offense that struggled to establish its physicality against New England.
This story was originally published by Athlon on Nov 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
