When Miami Dolphins fans think of Jevon Holland, they see the "Snowman," a hard-hitting safety that can change a game. Unfortunately, this year was not a good one.
There are a lot of reasons why Holland had a bad year, or at the very least, a season worse than his previous ones. The problem is he didn't do much to earn a new deal with the Dolphins. Maybe that was intentional.
Holland's 2024 season is a contract season. The Dolphins can't apply a fifth-year option to him and if they were planning to extend him, last year would have made the most sense. Now, it is almost a certainty that Holland will hit free agency.
While Holland may have played his way out of Miami, he didn't likely play himself out of a big contract. A weak safety market should be good for Holland when the league new year rolls around in March. Holland will be coveted, and the Dolphins will pass on him because they won't be able to afford the numbers he will likely receive.
Did Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland throw his season away for the prospect of money?
Holland got banged up earlier in the year and didn't really come back from that problem looking to make a huge impact. Instead, it appears that Holland played it safe and it is something that should be questioned. Did he spend the year protecting himself from injury in order to get that payday he wants? If you were in his shoes, would you?
Holland never came out and spoke ill about the Dolphins' lack of a contract offer. He simply continued to say that he could only control what was in his grasp. Once he got hurt, the thought of his season potentially ending from something like a knee or Achilles issue could have been part of the problem.
Had he been hurt, there were no guaranteed millions like first-round players receive. Perhaps the NFL should do away with that benefit, only helping the first-round players.
Clearly, Holland's production slid in 2024 and many believe that he will have a resurgence in 2025. He didn't get the contract he wanted from Miami, and he may not have delivered the Pro Bowl play many expected, but he is healthy heading into the off-season and will make a lot more from someone else.
The Dolphins will need to find a replacement for Holland after the season unless they find a way to get a deal done.