It is only a matter of time before Jalen Ramsey is no longer a member of the Miami Dolphins, and unless they are working on a deal that would, in turn, bring in his replacement, they are going to have a problem.
The Dolphins' cornerback room is effectively just Jalen Ramsey and Kader Kohou. One might get traded, and the other is considered a slot or inside corner.
Miami has plenty of time to make moves, and this is the area fans should keep a close eye on. The team has been in contact with several free agents at the position.
Most notably, Asante Samuel Jr. remains on the open market, waiting for the phone to ring. Chris Grier needs to make this happen. Samuel isn't a top-notch cornerback. He isn't elite, but he has the experience the Dolphins lack.
Looking over the current roster offers a glimpse into just how important those street veterans could be to the Dolphins' success in 2025. During free agency, Miami added Artie Burns. A former first-round pick, Burns has spent most of his career in street clothes with various injuries. The Dolphins can't rely on him to change that this year.
Despite Burns' concerning injury history, he will at least give the Dolphins a veteran presence in the locker room, but there should be no expectations for him this year. Outside of Burns and Ramsey, the next most experienced, or maybe it's better to say, the player with the most years in the league, is Elijah Campbell. He has six seasons.
Player snap counts prove just how much work remains for the Dolphins in the secondary
Experience is important, but the Dolphins' roster isn't full of players with extensive playing time. That could be an issue. Here's how many snaps each cornerback played last season:
Player | 2024 snaps |
|---|---|
Ethan Bonner | 16 |
Artie Burns | 51 (Seahawks) |
Storm Duck | 358 |
Kader Kohou | 708 |
Jalen Ramsey | 1,027 |
Cam Smith | 133 |
Elijah Campbell | 76 |
If anyone needed more proof that the Dolphins' cornerback room is void of experience, this easily confirms it. Samuel has been in the league for four seasons. How does he stack up against the Dolphins' current roster?
Samuel only played four games last season, but in the previous two years, he played a combined 2,083 defensive snaps.
If the Dolphins are going to make a move to help their secondary, now is the time to do it, and Samuel is the best option.