With injuries undermining the Miami defense ahead of a playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday night, the Dolphins sent out an SOS for pass-rushers.

Former Dothan High School standout Malik Reed is among those answering the call, and he joined Miami’s practice squad on Tuesday.

Already without top pass-rusher Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, the Dolphins had three linebackers get hurt in the regular-season finale on Sunday night and placed Jerome Baker, Cameron Goode and Andrew Van Ginkel on injured reserve on Tuesday.

Miami signed linebackers Justin Houston and Bruce Irvin to its active roster in addition to adding Reed to the practice squad. Houston and Irvin have a combined 1.5 sacks this season but 168.5 in their careers.

Reed originally signed with Miami in March. But he was released when the Dolphins reduced their preseason roster to the regular-season limit on Aug. 29.

Reed joined the Las Vegas Raiders’ practice squad in September before being signed to the active roster. Reed played in four games, with two starts, before the Raiders released him on Dec. 21. Reed was on the field for 63 defensive snaps and 26 special-teams plays and made three tackles.

Reed entered the NFL with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted rookie from Nevada in 2019. In the previous four seasons – three with Denver and one with the Pittsburgh Steelers – Reed played in 63 games, with 48 starts, and recorded 16 sacks as an outside linebacker.

The Steelers traded a sixth-round draft pick to the Broncos on Aug. 30, 2022, to obtain Reed and a seventh-round choice. When 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt sustained a pectoral injury in Pittsburgh’s season opener, Reed suddenly took on a larger role on the team.

In the seven games that Watt missed, Reed played 281 defensive snaps. In the nine games after Watt returned, Reed played 83.

In 2022, Reed recorded 25 tackles, one sack, four quarterback hits and two pass break-ups.

In his three seasons with the Broncos, Reed registered 123 tackles, 15 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 30 quarterback hits, four pass breakups, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In 45 games, with 34 starts, Reed had 1,992 defensive snaps and 315 special-teams plays with Denver.

Each NFL team can elevate two members of its practice squad to active status for every game.

The Dolphins and Chiefs will square off at 7 p.m. CST Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Peacock will televise the game.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.