There is no question that Jalen Ramsey was the best cornerback on the Miami Dolphins roster. He was also the most experienced.
On Monday, the Dolphins finally traded the disgruntled former All-Pro to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They included tight end Jonnu Smith in the trade, but they did not get a cornerback return ... though they did a starter to their safety unit in old friend Minkah Fitzpatrick.
With Ramsey now gone, what does the Dolphins' cornerback room look like? For all intents and purposes, it's looks like an empty room of hopefuls and nothing more.
Dolphins' updated CB room after trading Jalen Ramsey is a disaster
Player | Years of experience |
|---|---|
Storm Duck | 1 |
Cam Smith | 2 |
Kader Kohou (Slot) | 3 |
Jason Marshall | Rookie |
Ethan Bonner | 2 |
Artie Burns (Slot) | 8 |
Kendall Sheffield | 5 |
Isaiah Johnson | 2 |
Kader Kohou is the second-longest tenured cornerback on the roster and has the most starting experience to boot. The former undrafted free agent joined the Dolphins in 2022 and started 13 games in his rookie season. He started 16 of 17 games in his second year and nine games last year. The problem? Kohou isn't considered a boundary corner, but more of a slot, and he is good in that role.
The player with the most NFL experience will be Artie Burns. However, he hasn't played a full season since his third year in 2018. He may have longevity, but his availability is a problem.
The list of experience ends here. The Dolphins have nine other CBs on the roster with less than six years of experience. Kendall Sheffield has five, but hasn't started a game since 2020.
As it stands now, Cam Smith and Storm Duck are competing for one of the boundary jobs, while Ethan Bonner will compete for the other. The question is, who will he compete with? The Dolphins are likely to target a free-agent corner now that Ramsey has been traded.
There was a time the Dolphins had great tandems at the position. Xavien Howard was one of the best in franchise history and Miami gave him solid talent on the opposite side. The days of Howard and Byron Jones and Howard and Ramsey are gone. Now, it's anyone's guess as to who steps into that role.
As mentioned, Miami will have to add another CB, perhaps one of Asante Samuel or Rasul Douglas. For now, though, the depth chart is arguably the worst in football, with only Kohou standing out with the experience and consistency.