The Dolphins finally will get a return on the risk they took in the offseason.
Safety T.J. McDonald, signed subject to an eight-game suspension under the substance-abuse policy, has missed his eighth game and now has been added to the active roster.
To create space for McDonald, the Dolphins placed tackle Ja’Wuan James on injured reserve.
McDonald signed on March 31, after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Rams. The Dolphins were sufficiently impressed by his performance in the offseason, training camp, and preseason that they gave him a four-year extension before his suspension began.
A first-round pick of the Dolphins in 2014, James had started 25 straight games at right tackle for the Dolphins, with 47 total career starts. He suffered a knee injury on Sunday night against the Raiders.