The Dolphins are Still Searching for Coverage

The Draft is over, and training camp is just around the corner, but the Miami Dolphins still have major lingering questions at the cornerback position. The first and probably biggest question is what will happen to Jalen Ramsey? Ramsey joined the team in 2023 in a trade that saw the Dolphins send Hunter Long and a 2023 third-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for the star defender. 

The Dolphins bought in high on Ramsey as he was coming off a career year with the Rams, where he posted career highs in interceptions, tackles, and passes defended. This caused the Dolphins to give Ramsey a three-year contract extension worth $72.30 million with $24.23 million guaranteed. While this made Ramsey the highest-paid cornerback in the league, the results for Miami have been mixed. In 2023, he only played in 10 games, and then last season, he posted only two interceptions while looking noticeably slower. 

This brings us to April 2025, where general manager Chris Grier announced that they were looking to trade Ramsey. A month late,r and Ramsey remains a Dolphin, his extremely expensive contract extension being a contributing factor. Timing is also a factor as Ramsey’s contract would result in $25 million in dead cap should the Dolphins trade him before June 1st. If he is traded afterwards, his cap hit would be a much more manageable $7 million, according to Cameron Wolfe. 

So while that situation remains in limbo, the Dolphins still need to work to replace Ramsey with a player who wants to actually play in Miami this season. At this point in the offseason, the pickings are slim, but a move must be made. So far, it has been reported that the Dolphins have had conversations with two players. The first is Asante Samuel Jr., and the second is Rasul Douglas. 

Asante Samuel Jr., the son of Patriots legend Asante Samuel, was a second-round pick by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021. He looked solid as a rookie and could develop into a consistent starter.

However, injuries have derailed his career somewhat. Samuel ended last season in October after he was sent to injured reserve with what was reported as a shoulder injury, but it has since been revealed to be a neck injury, which he had surgery on in April. Neck injuries are always tricky, and it is easy to see why the Dolphins have been hesitant to commit to Samuel as of yet. 

However, given the fact that they are in extreme need of secondary help, it would make sense that they do eventually extend a formal offer, most likely in July. 

Rasul Douglas also dealt with injuries in 202,4 but to a much less significant degree. He started 15 games with the Bills and had 58 tackles, five passes defended, and one forced fumble. Going into the season, Douglas will be 31, having played 8 seasons already. In his prime, he was an extremely solid defender, but as with any position, teams are hesitant to offer much money to players over 30. Douglas visited Miami but left without a deal; he could provide the veteran leadership role that Ramsey would be vacating. 

Asante Samuel Jr. might be the stronger choice if the Dolphins think long-term. He’s only 26, and if he can return from his injury, he could prove to be a low-end number 1 corner or a high-end number 2. There is a risk, of course, but the Dolphins haven’t been a team scared off by injury history in recent memory. Douglas, on the other hand, is healthy by all accounts heading into the 2025 NFL season. He formerly played for the Buffalo Bills, so a revenge signing could be appealing. As I stated in the previous paragraph, his experience and status as a veteran player could be vital for the Dolphins’ relatively inexperienced secondary. I can’t say which player the Dolphins will sign, but it does seem imperative that they sign one of them; otherwise, things could be very bleak in the secondary. 

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