Jonas Gray Re-Signs with Dolphins: Latest Contract Details, Comments, Reaction

Running back Jonas Gray took the football world by storm with one incredible performance as a member of the New England Patriots, but he has since struggled to find his role in the NFL. The Miami Dolphins hope that changes, as Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald reported on Wednesday that Gray has been promoted from the practice squad to the active roster. 

This is an important step for Gray in his journey to regain in-game playing time. James Walker of ESPN.com originally reported on Sept. 16 that the Dolphins brought Gray back to the practice squad just two days after cutting him. 

The Patriots released Gray before the 2015 season, and the Dolphins added him to their practice squad, but he was cut. Clearly, the team saw something in him that made them rethink the decision, though.

Even though he bounced around from multiple teams and is yet to appear in a game this year, self-confidence is not an issue for the running back, per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald:

It is easy to have self-confidence if you rush for 201 yards and four touchdowns in a single game, which is exactly what Gray did in Week 11 of the 2014 season against the Indianapolis Colts. For just one day, he was the darling of the league. But he finished with a mere 412 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the year.

Part of the issue for the running back was the fact that he missed a practice following his incredible game, and found himself in head coach Bill Belichick’s doghouse. The Patriots instead relied on LeGarrette Blount during the stretch run, and Gray didn’t make a single appearance in the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks.

Although Gray’s first season ended in disappointing fashion, even with one astounding performance, he is still only 25 years old and can serve as a main cog in Miami's rushing attack. 

It takes a certain talent level to run for more than 200 yards in a single game in the NFL, and Gray will look to tap into that talent with the Dolphins. While he's got an uphill battle to get regular reps in Miami's backfield, which features Lamar Miller—who is dealing with a slight ankle injury—perhaps Gray can find a role that lends itself to more consistency moving forward.