5 new Miami Dolphins players who will be upgrades this season
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins lost five impact starters after the 2023 season. Some of the losses obviously hurt more than the others, including guard Robert Hunt leaving South Florida for a massive contract with the Carolina Panthers.
However, on both sides of the ball, general manager Chris Grier worked around the clock to bring in some new faces. These five additions in particular were quite head-turning and we think they'll be able to improve Miami overall in 2024:
5. Kendall Fuller over Xavien Howard
When the Dolphins decided to move on from Xavien Howard, it was based on the salary cap, but the truth is, Howard wasn't the player he used to be. Kendall Fuller has been more consistent over the last two seasons and he will be cheaper.
Howard's release on June 1 will save the Dolphins $18 million in cap space. While Howard remained a fan favorite, his production was starting to deteriorate on the field. This happens as players get older, and even the best eventually crash back to Earth.
Both players were drafted in the 2016 NFL Draft, with Howard being taken in Round 2 and Fuller in Round 3. Fuller has 17 more games played than Howard, 117-110, but Howard is far more impressive with his 29 interceptions to Fuller's 16. Fuller, however, has 366 tackles compared to Howard's 258. Howard has four Pro Bowls and two All-Pro selections. Fuller has none, but does come with a Super Bowl ring from his two years with Kansas City.
Since 2016, both players have taken over 82 percent of their defensive snaps. Fuller has been targeted 501 times, according to ProFootballReference.com, and has given up 328 receptions. Comparatively speaking, Howard has been targeted 429 times with 240 receptions. Howard has done much better in that department than Fuller. The problem, however, is throughout the last couple of seasons.
Statistically, Howard is slightly better, but many of his stats are high due to his two phenomenal years. Fuller will make the Dolphins better because he hasn't started his decline yet. Given the money Miami had tied into Howard and the visible coverage issues the past two seasons, Fuller can step in and should provide more of an impact or, at the very least, have the same impact Howard has had the last two campaigns.