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ESPN Analyst Calls Dolphins Secondary Worst Position Group in the NFL

Originally posted on Dolphins Talk | By Mike Oliva | Last updated Jun 1, 2025 9:27 PM ET

Ben Solak of ESPN does not have high hopes for the Miami Dolphins’ secondary once they trade Jalen Ramsey. In fact, he thinks it’s the worst position group in the NFL. Yes, the worst. And honestly, he may not be wrong.

Solak said,

If the Dolphins trade Jalen Ramsey, their starting secondary will be Storm Duck and Cam Smith at outside corner, Kader Kohou in the nickel and Ashtyn Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu at safety. I’m sorry to say that’s an early candidate for “worst position group” in the league.

I can see why Solak came to this opinion, as Miami has no proven players in its secondary.

Let’s start with the safety position where Miami lost Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer. Nobody is crying Poyer is gone, and while Holland had a rough 2024 season but he is only 25 years old and probably has a bright future in front of him.

What did Miami do to replace them? Well, not much.

The Dolphins did sign safety Ifeatu Melifonwu in March, but expectations for him should be tempered. He played in only three games last season and is an injury-prone player. He has only 14 starts in 4 seasons with the Lions and is nothing more than a career backup.

In the three games he played last season, he was on the field for a whopping 136 snaps, had all of nine tackles, and his passer rating against was 82.4.

In 2023, he played in 17 games (the one time in his career he has done that), he was only on the field for 398 snaps, and had 25 tackles. He also had five missed tackles that season.

Melifonwu is a career backup any way you slice it, and if Miami tries to force him into a starting role, I would expect the injuries that have plagued him his entire career will rear their ugly head, and the play on the field may be underwhelming.

Then, Miami signed another career backup safety in Ashtyn Davis from the Jets. Someone who has played in 69 career NFL games with only 22 starts.

In 2024, he was only on the field for 260 snaps and had 23 tackles.

In 2023, it wasn’t much better. He was on the field for 218 snaps, he had 13 tackles, and four missed tackles.

Again, these are career backup numbers for a player who is nothing more than a depth piece, and if Miami tries to force him into a starting role, they are going to regret it immediately.

Now let’s look at the cornerback position, where it gets uglier. We know Ramsey will be gone, and Miami has also cut Kendall Fuller.

Sticking around are Cam Smith, who has been a bust and is always injured (FYI he was seen limping off the field during OTAs this week after a play.

Storm Duck is a nice UDFA find from last year, but he has a low ceiling and probably shouldn’t be starting for an NFL team.

Artie Burns, who is more of a special-teams player than a corner at this stage of his career, and Ethan Bonner (see Storm Duck).

The Miami Dolphins have an interest in free-agent CB Rasul Douglas, who has played recently for the Buffalo Bills.

Douglas will be 31 in August and is a 2017 3rd-round pick by the Eagles. He has since played for the Panthers, Raiders, Texans, Cardinals, Packers, and Bills.

He has a wealth of experience, having played in 120 games and started 80 of them. Last season, in 2024 for the Bills, Douglas started and played in 15 games. He had no interceptions and 58 tackles.

In 2023, Douglas split time between the Packers and the Bills. In only nine games with the Bills, in which he started 8, Douglas had four interceptions. In 7 games with the Packers in 2023, in which Douglas started all seven, he had one interception.

For his career, Douglas has 19 interceptions and 441 tackles in 120 games.

If you are into PFF numbers, Douglas had a 59.2 overall grade as a cornerback. Ranked 132 out of 222 corners. He had a 58.9 coverage grade, ranking 127 out of 222 corners.

Douglas played 891 total snaps, and 493 were pass coverage snaps. His passer rating allowed was 123.7, and he allowed 40 receptions.

I have spoken to a Bills reporter who said his quality of play has really dropped off in the past year, so I am not sure what he has left in the tank if Miami signs him and what he brings to the Dolphins’ cornerback position group.

The Dolphins also have interest in free agent CB Asante Samuel Jr, who had neck surgery in April; I think if he becomes healthy over the course of the next 3-4 months, Miami may make him an offer.

But does Miami need another player coming off a major injury?

Other unsigned players at the cornerback position include Mike Hilton, James Bradberry, C.J. Henderson, and Stephon Gilmore.

So, with that said, it is tough to argue with Ben Solak regarding Miami’s secondary heading into the 2025 season.

And if the Dolphins’ offensive line exceeds expectations, if Tua plays 17 games, if the running game gets back on track, if Miami’s pass rush is elite, their secondary may hold them back and prevent them from being a playoff team.

This article first appeared on Dolphins Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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