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Poyer’s Leadership Is Something The Dolphins Need

Originally posted on Dolphins Talk | By Ryan VanHoover | Last updated Jul 26, 2024 9:56 AM ET

I admit I wasn’t a big fan of the Miami Dolphins signing safety Jordan Poyer this offseason. The reason is that he’s 33 years old and has been showing signs of decline the last few years and being slowed by injuries.

I have a friend who lives in Orchard Park and a diehard Buffalo Bills, and we have many conversations about our teams, the roster moves, the teams make, etc. When the Dolphins signed Poyer, he laughed and said good luck. I felt it wasn’t a great signing either, but time will tell. I’m sure Poyer will do well, but can he hold up for a whole season, especially since he has lost a step?

However, having said all of that, when Poyer commented last week that he and his Bills teammates knew the Dolphins would fold last year and being open and honest about them, it made me think this certainly can’t hurt.

Poyer had been with the Bills since 2017 and was part of the Bills’ domination of the Dolphins during that time frame. His statements also show how the Bills don’t respect the Dolphins and why they should.

The Dolphins have only beaten them two times in that time frame. This coming from a guy who was one of our bitter rivals can only help motivate the team. If this doesn’t light a fire in them, I don’t know what will.

It’s one thing to hear about it on talk shows daily because most of those shows have to sell air time and have nothing important to talk about from time to time, but to hear it from a bitter rival, ouch.

Poyer will also help mentor some of the younger players in the secondary, such as Jevon Holland, who is considered one of the best young safeties in the game but hasn’t quite put together his all-around game yet. Though we have seen flashes of it, if it wasn’t for the injury the last month of the season, there’s no telling how he could have been.

The Dolphins are at the stage where they are tight against the cap from having to decide which players they want to pay, and they have to sign some older players at a cheaper salary. That’s where Poyer fits in.

We will see how he does on the field and if he can hold up and still play at a high level, but his leadership to mentor younger players and to be a player who has been on the team that has won our division the last four years and knows how they feel about this team won’t hurt.

This team needs to go along with some of our up-and-coming players to help the Dolphins turn the corner potentially.

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

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