Miami Dolphins drafting Noah Igbinoghene makes more sense today

The Miami Dolphins surprised a few fans on Thursday night when they drafted corner Noah Igbinoghene with their final pick in round one.

Today, waking up the name Noah Igbinoghene was stuck in my head, as I tried to comprehend the selection and the pronunciation of his name, it dawned on me that the Miami Dolphins are working on something for the future.

Igbinoghene is young and has a lot of potential. He will immediately compete for the nickel role in Brian Flores‘ defense but it is what his future could be that could give him more value. Like it or not, he could be the replacement for Xavien Howard.

Howard signed a big contract extension ahead of the 2019 season but he has been battling nagging injuries and missed a big portion of last year. Drafting Igbinoghene gives the Dolphins a legit cornerback that could step in should Howard go down again. Or for that matter free agency Byron Jones.

When you think about it, the Dolphins could have done the same by drafting an edge rusher to protect the future but corner is a big part of this system so having a quality player who can start should injury happen makes a lot of sense.

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Then there is the question about Howard’s future down the road. Howard is under contract until 2024 but it would be shocking if he lasted that long in Miami. His contract calls for cap hits in the $13 million a year range up to $14 million. In 2022, the Dolphins could release or trade him and only lose $2.8 million according to OvertheCap.com.

This is important because a player like Igbinoghene could be in line by then to take over, if not sooner should Howard go down with another knee issue.

I wasn’t on board with the pick as I went to bed but Igbinoghene has a lot of upside and potential and while it may seem like a reach for a player who doesn’t fit an immediate need, he fills a depth issue when it comes to filling a vacated starting job due to injury. This pick may turn out to one of the better ones in this draft.