It is nothing new to Miami Dolphins fans to see one of their draft picks or former players leave and go to another city and shine, but one player seems to have defied the odds.
When the Dolphins drafted Tua Tagovailoa, GM Chris Grier also spent first-round picks on Austin Jackson and, later in the round, on Noah Igbinoghene. We don't need to rehash the horrible outcome of drafting the corner. Igbinoghene made it through three uninspiring NFL seasons with the Dolphins before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys for a player who flamed out in Dallas and couldn't get on the field in Miami.
During his time with the Dolphins, Igbinoghene was a workhorse practicer. He was committed to getting better but couldn't put it together enough to showcase talent on the field. He started five games, all due to injuries. He registered five passes defensed and 29 tackles. As I said, uninspiring.
Igbinoghene appeared in five games with the Cowboys and didn't register a single stat. He was not re-signed after the season and joined the Washington Commanders ahead of the 2024 season. So far, he isn't the same player.
Igbinoghen continues to get better in Washington. He has started 10 games this year and has seven passes defensed and 55 tackles. The Commanders are getting out of him what the Dolphins could not, and now, Igbinoghene is one game away from potentially starting in a Super Bowl.
Did the Miami Dolphins give up too quickly on Noah Igbinoghene?
The answer to that question is absolutely not. In fact, the Dolphins never should have drafted him to begin with. What should be questioned is whether or not the Dolphins actually gave him time to mature at the NFL level.
Starting for an NFL team really means little, considering teams rotate players all game long, but Miami didn't have him active for quite a few games, and players don't magically get better by watching from the sideline. In three seasons, Igbinoghene appeared in 32 games out of a possible 73. That doesn't help a player get better, so the question is, did Miami's coaches fail him? That might be the case, considering he is playing well with the Commanders.
He isn't the only former Dolphins player or coach to make it to the conference championships. There are many, including Vic Fangio, who turned the Philadelphia Eagles' defense into a top unit in the league.
No matter what, though, Igbinoghene is the real surprise.