Getty Images

The Dolphins traded for Aqib Talib on Tuesday, but the cornerback may never report to the team.

Talib is on injured reserve with a rib injury and becomes a free agent in March.

The Dolphins, who acquired a fifth-round choice in exchange for taking on the rest of Talib’s salary, have given Talib permission to continue his rehab in Los Angeles.

“He’s in a rehab program in L.A.,” Dolphins coach Brian Flores said Wednesday, via Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “We talked about that. He’s not eligible to come back for a period of time. He’s going to rehab in L.A. for a little bit, and we’ll take it from there. That’s the conversation I had with him.”

Talib becomes eligible to return from injured reserve in Week 15, but the Dolphins can bring back only two players and likely want to use their short-term designations on players who factor into their future. Defensive end Jonathan Ledbetter, rookie linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel and offensive tackle Julien Davenport are candidates to return from IR.

So Talib is unlikely ever to see the field for the Dolphins.