MIAMI -- Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey returned to the practice field as a limited participant Wednesday, as the team opened his 21-day practice window.
Ramsey injured his left meniscus on July 27 -- the second day of training camp -- and underwent surgery the following day. The Dolphins never placed a timeline on his return, but coach Mike McDaniel said the team gave him a target date when the injury occurred.
"From the onset, we gave Jalen a rough target, but everyone's body is different," McDaniel said. "He called his shot the day he was injured, saying he was going to beat whatever the target would be. He certainly did that.
"That being said, this is the first time that he's going to be playing football, so we'll acquire information but very optimistic. It'll be sooner rather than later, obviously, because we're starting the window."
The Dolphins have until Nov. 7 to activate Ramsey to the 53-man roster, or he will remain on injured reserve for the rest of the season.
McDaniel ruled out Ramsey for Sunday night's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, but the coach is "cautiously optimistic" that the cornerback will return before the Week 10 bye.
The Dolphins host the New England Patriots in Week 8. The following week, Miami plays the Kansas City Chiefs in Frankfurt, Germany.
The Dolphins acquired Ramsey this offseason from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long.
In his absence, Miami has allowed 229.2 passing yards per game. The cornerbacks room could be in need of further reinforcements after Xavien Howard injured his groin during last week's win over the Carolina Panthers and did not practice Wednesday.