Kyle Van Noy has become the leader on the Miami Dolphins defense.
The Dolphins have signed quite a few Patriots players since bringing hiring Brian Flores last season. Last year it was defensive back Eric Rowe. This past offseason, the Dolphins signed the aforementioned Karras and Roberts to free-agent deals. None, however, made a bigger splash than the four-year/$51M deal that was signed by linebacker Kyle Van Noy.
Why was it a good move?
His signing isn’t just about the numbers. Of course, Van Noy is a big difference-maker on the field. He’s tied for second on the team with six sacks and tied for the team lead with 10 tackles-for-loss; all despite being limited to only 12 games due to injury. That alone would make him a good free-agent signing but his being here also signifies a couple of other things.
Firstly, having been in the system for three seasons, Van Noy is a great on-field teacher. Fellow linebacker Jerome Baker (98 tackles, 6 sacks) has flourished this season partly because of the presence of Van Noy. Finally, the signings of Van Noy and Byron Jones serve as great ‘ambassadors’ to future free agents. Along with the team’s success in 2020, having two highly regarded players choose Miami will make it easier to recruit players in the upcoming offseason.