Cornerback is an issue for the Dolphins says Adam Gase
By Brian Miller
On Thursday Adam Gase met with the media at the NFL Combine and nuggets of information continue to be dissected in his question and answer session.
The Dolphins entered the off-season with cornerback not being a big priority. Recent injury news regarding Isa Abdul-Quddus at safety has changed some of that priority within the secondary but Adam Gase made it clear that the corners could use as much help as they can get.
"“I think our secondary will take whatever help they can get right now,” Gase told reporters Thursday. “As many corners as you can get, and safeties. I I think the way the league’s going right now, you better have guys that can play both post safety and come down and tackle. -Via the Miami Herald"
The Dolphins corners and safety situation isn’t dire but the units could definitely use some additional help. Miami has six corners on the roster as of today. Xavien Howard, Byron Maxwell, Tony Lippett, Jordan Lucas, Lafayette Pitts, and Bobby McCain. Last season the team played many games without Howard, Maxwell was benched until Howard was injured, and while Tony Lippett made strides he still has a long way to go. But very promising.
After the 2017 season Maxwell’s contract will balloon to $10 million and all of that is recovered if he is released. Miami could look to add a corner in the draft to eventually replace him.
"“And at corner you need as many as you can. You saw last year, it felt like somebody was out every week. The more corners we can get, the better. I like the guys we have right now. I love how they work. I love the way they’ve been trying to get better, but at the end of the day we just need more bodies.” – via the Miami Herald"
It’s obvious that if Gase does in fact feel this way the Dolphins do need some extra bodies at the position. Safety isn’t much better and in fact could be considered far worse.
Isa Abdul-Quddus may not play at all in 2017 and may not play again after what initially was believed to be a shoulder injury turned into a neck/nerve injury that Miami is concerned about. Reshad Jones is coming off a season ending shoulder injury and primary back-up Michael Thomas is an impending free agent. That leaves Walt Aikens, A.J. Hendy, and impending free agent Bacarri Rambo as the only other safeties on the roster.
By no means does this insinuate that the Dolphins will make safety and corner a priority in free agency but it will be a position that Miami will likely to address at some point this off-season and if you believe what Gase and general manager Chris Grier have stated about spending in free agency it could mean the Dolphins turn to the draft and then pick through what is left on the market when the market dies down.