Releasing Kendall Fuller before the start of free agency made sense. It was a move the Miami Dolphins needed to make. What they have done to replace him, however, is shocking.
Miami entered free agency with a little money (not a lot) to spend and a gaping hole opposite Jalen Ramsey. Chris Grier loves the investment in cornerbacks but hasn't really hit one out of the park yet, although Ramsey is awfully close. Free agency's initial wave netted the Dolphins nothing spectacular, and by the time the second wave ended, fans wondered exactly what the time was doing.
Strapped for cash, it seems Miami couldn't afford to fix the hole at cornerback but instead opted to make the most bizarre signing of Artie Burns.
The former Seahawk has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career, missing 36 games over the past four seasons.
Dolphins' failure to fix cornerback need in free agency could come back to haunt them
There are two thoughts on this. Either Grier has every intention of spending a high draft pick on a cornerback, or he fully believes Cam Smith and Storm Duck will solve the problem.
By putting themselves into this position, Grier will likely reach for a cornerback in the draft, much like he did with Smith two years ago. In free agency, Asante Samuel Jr. is the only veteran worth considering.
Adding Samuel would be a good move, but it seems as though Grier will wait it out until after June 1, when players won't count against the compensatory pick formula. Waiting until the draft alone is risky enough.
Miami's secondary is not good, and while the safety position may be worse on paper, the cornerback situation, at least on one side, could lead to the defense's downfall in 2025.