In 2025, the Miami Dolphins had a big cornerback problem. Their top players and backups started getting banged up during training camp. Miami turned to free agency, where they signed Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas.
Douglas joined the Dolphins days before the regular season started, and his impact was felt immediately. The former Bills and Packers corner became Miami's most reliable corner in the secondary. Fans had hoped he would join the team again this offseason. Now, that isn't going to happen. ESPN's Adam Schefter announced Monday that Douglas will sign with the Washington Commanders on a one-year deal worth up to $3.8 million.
Sources: Free-agent CB Rasul Douglas is planning to sign a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders worth up to $3.8 million. Douglas spent last season with the Dolphins, where he started 13 games. A former Eagles third-round pick in 2017, Douglas now returns to the NFC East. pic.twitter.com/GXGnXqoVyI
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 6, 2026
Dolphins can only watch as Rasul Douglas joins the Washington Commanders
Douglas may not have been a cure-all for Miami's secondary questions, but he has more experience than Jason Marshall. The Dolphins are clearly banking on Marshall taking a step forward in his second season.
In 2025, Marshall was used as a slot corner who also saw practice reps at safety. This year, so far, the Dolphins have moved him to the boundary, where he has said he feels more comfortable.
It might seem like Jeff Hafley is taking a risk, but if Marshall proves capable of handling the outside, they will have solved their starting conundrum at the position. With Marshall joining first-round pick Chris Johnson, the duo could form a standout tandem in a year or two.
Douglas would have been a good option for the Dolphins, but the fact that Miami had not reached out to him, as far as we know, is a bold statement that the team wants to develop the younger players. To do that, they need to give them playing time. Douglas would have taken those valuable reps.
The contract Douglas is signing is a minimal deal and one that the Dolphins could have afforded. That's another indication of how Miami feels about the cornerback room.
Per source, Dolphins surprisingly never made an offer of any kind to Rasul Douglas, their top cornerback last season. He agreed to a one-year deal with Washington today; deal could be worth up to $3.8 M.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) July 6, 2026
Miami has Marshall and Johnson on the boundary and will have competition for slots. Of the 11 corners on the current roster, Marco Wilson is the most experienced. He will enter his 7th NFL season. No other player at the position has more than three years of experience.
Douglas would have provided the veteran experience they lack. The decision not to get him back on the roster points to their confidence in the players they have. For their sake, they better be right.
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