Where the Dolphins Cornerback Room Stands

The Miami Dolphins have done a solid job filling their roster holes this offseason, but a few glaring ones remain. And none of them are bigger than the cornerback position. 

The team is still expected to part ways with star cornerback Jalen Ramsey before the season, leaving Kader Kohou as the team’s only remaining starter from last season. 

With Ramsey not in the picture, there’s a decent argument that the Dolphins might have one of the worst cornerback rooms in the NFL. Miami has added a few cornerbacks this offseason, but none of them inspire a ton of confidence. 

With the Dolphins’ cornerback room wide open and needing someone to step up, let’s break down the major categories of players and see where they stand right now. 

Known Starters

As mentioned above, Kohou is the only returning starter from last season if the team follows through on a Ramsey trade. In 15 games (nine starts) last season, Kohou finished with two interceptions, eight pass breakups, and one forced fumble. 

After signing as a UDFA in 2022, Kohou has been an impact player for each of the last three seasons. Right now, he’s easily Miami’s best cornerback, but the question is whether he starts inside or outside in 2025. 

Kohou has played most of his snaps in the slot, and that’s where his tape looks best. That said, Kohou really struggled in the slot last season, especially during the early portion of Miami’s schedule. 

Down the stretch, he got more reps outside and played some of his best football. 

Still, Kohou’s profile projects better inside, as he’s a smaller player (5-10, 195) and an excellent run defender. Given Miami’s lack of depth, Kohou might bounce between the outside and slot a lot more this season. 

The Dolphins could try to hunt different matchups, setting their younger cornerbacks up for more success. Either way, if the team doesn’t add another veteran, Kohou stands to be the leader of this room and will have to make a big jump in play if the cornerback position isn’t going to hold Miami back this season. 

Competing Veterans 

The next two names with considerable experience are Artie Burns and Kendall Sheffield, who the team signed following a rookie minicamp tryout. 

The veteran cornerback has bounced around the league quite a bit since the Atlanta Falcons selected him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Ohio State.

He started 20 games across his first two seasons but hasn’t played more than 100 defensive snaps since 2020. Last season, he played 92 defensive snaps and 48 special teams snaps with the New York Jets. 

Like Sheffield, Burns has mostly converted to playing special teams the past few seasons. 

The Miami Hurricanes product started 31 games in his first three seasons (2016-2018) but has started just eight games since, including zero last season. The last time he played significant snaps was 2023, when he recorded 231 snaps on defense and 181 on special teams. 

Burns and Sheffield are second and third on the team in career starts, but there’s little reason to believe either should be penciled in as starters heading into training camp. 

Neither player has much good film to speak of, and the Dolphins have a plethora of young players behind them. 

Returning Young Players 

This group includes Cam Smith, Storm Duck, Ethan Bonner, Jason Maitre and Isaiah Johnson. Since Duck and Smith are the only ones who played last season, we will focus on them. 

This looks like a do-or-die season for Smith, who was basically called out by Dolphins general manager Chris Grier at his pre-draft press conference. 

“Smith needs to come through at the end of the day,” Grier said. “He’s got to stay healthy and be on the field. He has shown some flashes, but this is a very big year. He knows what’s expected because we can’t hold his hand and wait for him anymore.”

Smith has made zero starts in two seasons and played most of his snaps on special teams since the Dolphins selected him in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft. 

Given how underwhelming the Dolphins’ cornerback room is, there’s no excuse for Smith not to win one of the team’s starting outside spots. He’s got the talent to do it, and his competition is pretty underwhelming. 

Speaking of Smith’s competition, Duck made the team as a UDFA last year and managed to completely jump Smith on the depth chart. Duck started in three games last year, recording four passes defended, 35 total tackles, and one tackle for loss. 

Duck’s film isn’t pretty, but he’s a young player who was just fighting to make the team last year. If he continues to develop, there’s a chance he will become a solid starter in Year 2. 

As wild as it sounds, Duck has the inside track to be one of the team’s starters on the outside. 

New Young Players 

This group includes Jason Marshall Jr., B.J. Adams, and Ethan Robinson. The Dolphins selected Marshall in the fifth round of the 2025 draft and signed Adams and Robinson as UDFAs. 

Marshall is this group's “biggest” investment and has some appealing traits to work with. He ran a 4.49 40-yard dash and finished in the 70th percentile among cornerbacks at the combine since 2000 in the broad and vertical jump. 

He’s got the athletic profile of an NFL cornerback, but he struggled with injuries and his play in 2024. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against Kentucky, limiting him to just seven games. 

The key for the Dolphins will be making Marshall’s technique more consistent. He had a lot of coverage lapses in 2024, leading to big plays. The bright side is that Marshall’s 2023 tape was much better. 

If the Dolphins can get him closer to that level of play, he could push for snaps this season and factor into the team’s long-term plans. 

Adams is the other younger player worth talking about in depth. Many analysts had Adams rated higher than Marshall before the draft — here included — so it wouldn’t be too shocking if he’s the top performer from this group. 

If the Dolphins want to use more man coverage this season, Adams will fit right in. He’s got the length and experience playing man outside to help the Dolphins throw changeups at opposing offenses. 

Like Marshall, Adams struggles with consistency. He needs to improve his mirroring of receivers at the line and be more accurate with his jams. 

Adams likely went undrafted because of his underwhelming athletic testing. He had a 4.53 40-yard dash (46th percentile), 32-inch vertical (12th percentile), and 117-inch broad jump (21st percentile). 

A primary man coverage cornerback with underwhelming athletic ability is a high-risk profile to bet on. Despite being a long shot, it wouldn’t shock us if Adams made the Dolphins roster. 

Where Does Miami Stand? 

If the Dolphins suited up for a game today, Kohou, Duck and Smith likely would be the team's starting cornerbacks. Outside of Kohou, the other two spots are completely up for grabs. 

Thankfully for the Dolphins, they won’t suit up for a regular season game until September, giving them time to sort this group out. 

As much as the Dolphins have pushed for a youth movement this offseason, adding at least one veteran with starting experience wouldn't be a bad idea. Right now, Miami’s cornerback room might keep them from competing against good teams on defense. 

It would be fair to point out that a veteran who is still available at this point in the process might not change that, but it’s at least worth a try during the summer. 

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