Miami Dolphins expected to seek cornerback help; Options and where things stand

The Dolphins are expected to seek cornerback help in the weeks ahead, and the good news is that there are at least a couple of dozen starters available in free agency.

Here’s my January story on the cornerbacks available and their passer ratings against last season, and some commentary.

Tampa’s Jamel Dean, the Saints’ Bradley Roby, the Patriots’ Jonathan Jones and the Eagles’ James Bradberry are the top unrestricted free agent cornerbacks, but there are other good ones, too.

Another option: trading for Rams Pro Bowler Jalen Ramsey, who is being shopped.

But here’s the problem with acquiring Ramsey: The Rams likely will want at least one — perhaps more — high draft picks. And the cap hit for a team acquiring him would be $17 million in 2023, $18.5 million in 2024 and $19.5 million in 2025, barring a restructure.

The Dolphins — who are $16 million over the cap and must be under it by next week — could instead sign a starter in free agency with a lower cap hit in 2023, and without needing to relinquish draft compensation.

What’s clear is that with Byron Jones unable to play (and likely to be cut) and free agent Nik Needham coming off a torn Achilles, at least one quality veteran cornerback must be added to supplement Xavien Howard and Kader Kohou. And waiting until the draft to do it is too risky.

Where the team’s current cornerbacks stand:

XAVIEN HOWARD

▪ The contract: Signed through 2026.

Next season, Howard will earn a base salary of $1.16 million, a prorated bonus of $8.8 million, a workout bonus of $100,000 and an incentive bonus of $1 million.

He’s due to make $18.4 million in 2024, $16.6 million in 2025 and $18.1 million in 2026.

▪ The metrics: They were the worst of Howard’s career. Among players targeted at least 50 times in coverage, Howard’s passer rating against (121.9) was the sixth worst in the league.

He allowed 54 of 80 passes against him to be caught for 826 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. The 826 yards were second most allowed by any NFL defensive back, behind only Minnesota’s Chandon Sullivan.

Among defenders who allowed at least 40 catches, the 15.3 yards per catch against Howard was second highest in the league (and second worst defensively), behind Detroit’s Jeff Okudah (15.5).

▪ The future: The Dolphins must hope Howard is a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year next season, because moving on isn’t realistic for two reasons: 1). his contract; 2). the Dolphins are better with him than without him.

His modest cap number next season ($10.1 million) would swell to $33.1 million if he’s cut before June 1 and $9.9 million if he’s cut after that. So moving on from Howard does not appear an option.

At 29, Howard should still be in the prime of his career, and his play — particularly early — was disappointing. Part of his struggles stemmed from injuries to two groin muscles early in the season. But whether it was getting a poor jump on the ball or some other factor, he also seemed to be beaten more in man coverage, especially when Miami blitzed.

He was too often left on an island against a very good receiver; that’s something that very likely won’t happen as much under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who plays more zone than predecessor Josh Boyer did.

Howard was solid over the final two months of season.

But the Dolphins expect greatness from Howard because of the bar he set in leading the league in interceptions since the start of 2016. He had only one pick last season, and Dolphins must hope this was simply an anomaly, not the start of a career regression.

There’s reason to believe that Howard will be effective in Fangio’s zone-heavy defense.

KADER KOHOU

▪ The contract: Under contract the next two seasons. Kohou will make $870,000 in 2023 and $985,000 in 2024.

▪ The metrics: Kohou was targeted more than any NFL cornerback (106 times), and he yielded the third most catches (69).

But he allowed only one touchdown, and the 80.7 passer rating in his coverage area was 21st best among players targeted at least 50 times last season. He had one interception, in the Green Bay game.

▪ The future: Kohou exceeded all expectations as an undrafted rookie and should be a key piece of the team’s secondary moving forward, either as a starter or No. 3 cornerback.

Cornerback coach Sam Madison said he believes Kohou is an NFL starter.

If the Dolphins don’t add a clear cut starter opposite Howard, they could have Kohou and Needham and a cheap veteran compete for the starting boundary job, with plenty of snaps also available in the slot, the position where Kohou ultimately could end up playing most of the time.

But I will be surprised if the Dolphins don’t add a starting-caliber corner.

BYRON JONES

▪ The contract: His $13.5 million salary is nonguaranteed in 2023, and the Dolphins assuredly won’t pay that to a player who determined he couldn’t suit up at all last season and says he still cannot run or jump.

He has a big 2023 cap hit ($18.8 million), and that cap hit drops only to $14.8 million if he’s cut before June 1 but $4.8 million if he’s cut after June 1. So designating him a post June 1 cut makes the most sense. But remember, that cap space then wouldn’t be available until June.

▪ The metrics: None. According to a source, Jones’ improvement/recovery after March surgery in the ankle/Achilles surgery suddenly stopped in August and he never felt comfortable enough to play. His situation hasn’t improved for him to be able to play at this point.

▪ The future: Difficult to see one here, because of his stalled recovery and bloated contract.

KEION CROSSEN

▪ The contract: Signed through 2024. But his $2.9 million salary next season is not guaranteed, and his $3.2 million cap hit disappears if he’s cut.

▪ The metrics: After playing just two percent of the Giants’ defensive snaps in 2021, Crossen played 36 percent (383) because of the Dolphins’ depleted depth at cornerback. The Dolphins’ decision to generally use Crossen as their No. 3 cornerback — instead of Noah Igbinoghene — was interesting, because Igbinoghene had the better metrics.

Crossen allowed a 104.7 passer rating in his coverage area; he has permitted 18 completions in 32 targets for 268 yards and two touchdowns.

▪ The future: Crossen was needed on defense far more than expected, and he performed probably about as well as could be expected. He was the key special teams addition on a unit that ranked among the league’s worst.

While he has some value, he’s also one of very few players on the team with no dead-money cap hit if he’s cut. So at the very least, the Dolphins must consider whether to keep him.

NOAH IGBINOGHENE

▪ The contract: Has one more year left on his rookie deal. Due to earn $2.1 million next season, with $1.6 million guaranteed.

▪ The metrics: They were actually the best on the team, even though the Dolphins played him only when absolutely necessary. He had a 77.1 passer rating in his coverage area: 11 completions in 23 targets, for 134 yards, two touchdowns and an interception to seal the win against Pittsburgh.

▪ The future: The fact that Igbinoghene was a healthy scratch in eight games, during a season when Miami was missing its No. 2 and 3 cornerbacks, says a lot about what the coaching staff thought of him.

Igbinoghene was competent when he played and had the game-sealing interception against Pittsburgh, a win that ultimately gave Miami the tiebreaker against the Steelers and earned the Dolphins a playoff berth.

But this staff seemingly didn’t have much use for him, and confidence seemed to further dwindle when a communication error led to him allowing a touchdown pass in Week 17 against New England. He will need to win a job in training camp.

It’s highly unlikely that Miami would exercise his $11.5 million 2024 option by the May 2023 deadline.

JUSTIN BETHEL

▪ The contract: Unrestricted free agent

▪ The metrics: After playing just 61 snaps in the previous four seasons, he logged 123 for a Dolphins defensive backfield decimated by injuries. And Bethel performed competently,

▪ The future: Did enough to earn an invitation to return.

NIK NEEDHAM

▪ The contract: Will be an unrestricted free agent. Earned $3.9 million this past season.

▪ The metrics: Before tearing his Achilles in the sixth game of the season, Needham allowed a 116.1 passer rating in his coverage area — 10 completions on 16 targets for 158 yards, including one touchdown and no interceptions.

Needham finished 2021 with an 81.4 passer rating in his coverage area — excellent from a defensive standpoint — and no touchdowns allowed.

▪ The future: Needham and Kohou have been the biggest undrafted success stories of the past five years. Needham’s play warrants at least a modest offer with incentives.

In a best-case scenario, the Dolphins’ top four cornerbacks next season would be Howard, a top starting boundary player added in free agency and Kohou and Needham — who both can play on the boundary but might be better ultimately in the slot. (Needham already is better in the slot.)

Also under contract besides those four, Crossen and Igbinoghene: Trill Williams, at $940,000. The second-year player missed last season with a knee injury.

Among cornerbacks projected for the Dolphins’ second-round draft range at 51: Kelee Ringo (Georgia), Kyu Blu Kelly (Stanford), Emmanuel Forbes (Mississippi State), Deonte Banks (Maryland), Tyrique Stevenson (Miami) and D.J. Turner (Michigan).