Examining Brents' Place After Strong First Start with Dolphins

One of the biggest individual stories from the Miami Dolphins’ surprising win against the Buffalo Bills in Week 10 was the play of cornerback JuJu Brents. 

Brents started in place of Rasul Douglas at outside cornerback with Douglas sidelined by a foot injury. Prior to Sunday, Brents had played just nine defensive snaps all season, but he stepped up in a big way. 

“I think he put on a display of why he’s here, and he showed his evolution within the system,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Monday. “He could be a tool and resource for us. I think he’s earned more time on the field. How that shapes up has to do with him, and all of the other guys, but anytime you have someone step up, it helps the whole team because you’re better at the position.” 

McDaniel also mentioned how much progress Brents has made since the team claimed him off waivers during roster cutdowns. He didn’t get to spend the entire offseason learning the playbook, which is likely why he was buried on the depth chart. 

The former second-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts seems to have earned the coaching staff’s trust, and it’s easy to see why when watching his play against Buffalo. 

Brents’ Standout Performance Against the Bills 

The Kansas State product was targeted five times against Buffalo, and he allowed just two catches for 12 yards, according to Pro Football Focus. He also recovered a fumble that helped keep Buffalo scoreless in the first half.

Those two catches were plays where the Dolphins allowed the Bills to get short completions. When Brents was targeted downfield, he showed the ability to provide blanket coverage. 

Brents’ only pass breakup came on a downfield throw vs. Keon Coleman. The Bills receiver ran a quick out before jetting upfield, trying to get Brents to bite on the quick route before beating him deep. 

Brents did a good job stepping to the quick route but remaining in position to open his hips and blanket Coleman downfield, too. He then used his length to smother the catch point and prevent a big play. 

Coleman is precisely the type of receiver Brents should win against. He is listed at 6-3, 189 pounds, and has 34-inch arms, which is 98th percentile among cornerbacks at the combine since 2000.

That overwhelming length makes it quite tough for receivers like Coleman to bully them at the catch point. 

We saw what happens when a receiver like Coleman faces a more undersized cornerback in this game, too. He beat Ethan Bonner for a touchdown after Brents left with a minor injury. 

There were also plenty of reps where Brents matched tight end Dalton Kincaid and Tyrell Shavers in coverage. He was step-for-step in man coverage all day and did a good job with his spacing in zone. 

Brents also had a bunch of nice tackles. He had five total, and he was charged with just one missed tackle. Brents is a physical player, and his length allows him to wrap up ball carriers a lot easier. 

Where Does Brents Fit on the Dolphins' Depth Chart? 

So Brents played awesome against the Bills, but how much can we expect to see him going forward? Well, that’s a bit more complicated. 

Again, Brents was stepping in for Douglas, who has played well this season. The Dolphins’ coaching staff is trying to save its jobs, so it’s hard to imagine it moving off Douglas if he’s healthy. 

On the other side is Jack Jones. He’s been his usual rollercoaster self this season, but he made several high-impact plays against Buffalo, too. The Dolphins have rotated him with players like Bonner this season, so they could do that with Brents. 

That doesn’t leave a ton of room for him to get snaps, though. 

Brents can’t really play in the slot — he doesn’t have the quickness and change-of-direction skills to hold up inside, and Jason Marshall Jr. is back from injury anyway. 

While his path to more playing time isn’t clear, it should be acknowledged that the Dolphins would benefit from getting Brents on the field. 

He’s just 25 years old, and the team’s cornerback need isn’t going away this offseason. Douglas and Jones were band-aid additions late into the summer, and Marshall is still an unproven player. 

Brents has the natural skills to be a long-term option. Whether that’s as a starter or a primary backup remains to be seen, but Miami would greatly benefit from him becoming a reliable piece. 

Miami is heading toward some version of a roster reset this offseason, and any cost-controlled contributor it can hold onto is a big win, especially one that you essentially got for free.