Dolphins 2015 grades: Jamar Taylor

The Miami Dolphins felt the need to put Jamar Taylor on the inactive game list towards to the end of the season. In part to give others playing time for evaluation but what was his grade for the year?

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Jamar Taylor – Cornerback

2016 salary – $1.153 million

Jamar Taylor was supposed to make big strides entering the 2015 season. He was expected to lock down the opposite corner from Brent Grimes. Through training camp the Dolphins gave him opportunities but by the first week it was Brice McCain who was slotted on the edge. McCain was not suited for an edge role and Taylor was moved into the slot coverage position where he couldn’t adjust.

Throughout the 2015 season Taylor struggled both inside and outside and by the end of the year he was watching games as a healthy gameday scratch. The Dolphins opted to give time to rookie Tony Lippett but there is real concern about Taylor’s future with the Dolphins.

Taylor was so poor this season that he ranked as the 110th worst corner in the NFL according to ProFootballFocus.com and rated a dismal 35.7 against the pass and his run support was worse grading out at 35 flat. The Dolphins unfortunately made the move to bench Taylor too late and by the time the move was made, the season was all but over mathematically. 2016 will be an interesting year for Taylor who is a former 2nd round draft pick.

In 2015 Taylor registered 48 tackles which isn’t bad but it’s the coverage skills that cost him time on the field and that is what needs to change. Making tackles is great but allowing receivers to catch the ball is not. He isn’t physical off the line of scrimmage and struggles with simple route coverages.

The off-season may find him expendable simply because right now, he is. His salary for 2016 is far more than the value he brings to the club on Sunday’s the question is will Miami release him to save the just over $800,000 he is due this season or will new defensive coordinator Vance Joseph coach him up?

2015 grade – F

Why an “F”?

You can’t play as poorly as Taylor did in 2015 and get a pass to a D. Taylor wasn’t inconsistent he was just bad the entire season and something needs to click for him to continue in the NFL for any team. He has a lot of athleticism but it’s unrealized and this may be his last chance to prove he can play at this level.

Release him or keep him?

$800,000 doesn’t make a big dent in the salary cap and he would need to be replaced however if the Dolphins believe that Tony Lippett can assume the role of back-up then there is no reason to keep Taylor on the roster. I would strongly consider releasing the corner if he can’t make positive strides during the off-season and if I intend to go in a different direction, I would not keep him on the roster past the league new year.