Dolphins' young group of cornerbacks must step up quickly
The Miami Dolphins made a seismic trade in the NFL offseason, acquiring three-time All-Pro CB Jalen Ramsey from the Los Angeles Rams for a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long back in March. After Thursday's events, it could end up being an undrafted free agent signing in May 2022 that could be one of […]
The Miami Dolphins made a seismic trade in the NFL offseason, acquiring three-time All-Pro CB Jalen Ramsey from the Los Angeles Rams for a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long back in March.
After Thursday's events, it could end up being an undrafted free agent signing in May 2022 that could be one of the big stories of the 2023 season for the Dolphins.
Ramsey reportedly suffered a meniscus tear towards the end of Thursday's practice that will require surgery. The injury is expected to keep him out for the majority of the 2023 season, but the current belief is that he will be able to return before the season is over.
Just as it was with the rash of injuries that plagued the Dolphins in 2022, the mantra remains the same: next man up.
For Miami, that appears to be a training camp and preseason battle between a number of candidates, but most likely two: 2022 undrafted free agent Kader Kohou and 2023 second-round pick Cam Smith.
Kohou could get the first crack at it. The rising second-year player out of Texas A&M-Commerce was one of the most accomplished undrafted free agents in the league last fall. He entered the spotlight after Trill Williams (preseason, knee) and Nik Needham (Week 6, Achilles) all suffered season-ending injuries, and Byron Jones never was able to recover from offseason surgery on his Achilles tendon and ankle.
Kohou played in 15 games, earning 13 starts, and led all undrafted rookies in defensive snaps (852), tackles, (72), and passes defended (10). Pro Football Focus had him as one of the top 10 graded rookies at all positions in November.
Kohou is a quick athlete who can stay with smaller, agile receivers. As such, while he can play outside or inside, he would seem to fit best in the slot – at least if the Dolphins had another suitable option on the outside.
Enter Cam Smith, the team's second-round pick out of South Carolina. The Dolphins' first pick of the 2023 draft, he provides a bit more traditional size for an outside cornerback at 6'1, just like Miami's other starting outside corner, Xavien Howard. A physical, confident player, he has the mentality to step in and be a starter from the get-go. If he can show he can fit quickly into Vic Fangio's defense – which is far less reliant on aggressive man coverage than in previous years under Josh Boyer – then he could be the leader in the clubhouse for the starting job opposite Howard.
Williams, Needham, and Keion Crossen should also not go unmentioned. Williams was turning some heads last summer before tearing his ACL in the preseason against Tampa Bay. Needham is also more than capable of winning the job, but was placed on the PUP list on July 20, so the timetable for his return isn't entirely clear. Crossen played in 16 games and earned two starts last fall.
Regardless of who wins the nickel and outside jobs, the Dolphins will hope that their All-Pro cornerback gets back as soon as possible, as the AFC East got a lot tougher this year with Aaron Rodgers and Josh Allen each on the schedule twice.
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Featured image via Andres Leiva/Palm Beach Post/USA Today Network
