Offensive tackle Ryan Hayes is back with the Miami Dolphins for a third time.
On Thursday morning, the Dolphins announced that Hayes is back on their practice squad, more than two months after he was cut by the team at the end of August.
Hayes, 24, originally joined the Dolphins as a seventh-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft after a collegiate career at Michigan, where he earned All-Big Ten honors twice. After he was waived by Miami at the end of his first rookie training camp, Hayes was claimed by the Indianapolis Colts and spent about three weeks with the team. When he was waived by the Colts in September 2023, Hayes re-joined the Dolphins and spent the remainder of the season on their practice squad.
The Dolphins again waived Hayes at the end of training camp, although he reverted to the team’s injured reserve after he went unclaimed. A few days later, he was cut from the IR with an injury settlement.
By rule, Hayes wasn’t allowed to re-join the Dolphins for six weeks plus the undisclosed length of his injury settlement. Nine weeks later, Hayes has remained a free agent is now back with the Dolphins for a third time.
The 6’6, 303-pound offensive tackle has yet to appear in an NFL regular season game.