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With the addition of cornerback Byron Jones to the Miami Dolphins secondary, should we be ready to see the Dolphins pass over cornerback for the remainder of the offseason? After all, this team has heavy duty financial obligations into Jones and new teammate Xavien Howard. Surely Miami can axe corner off of their positions of need list, right?
Not exactly.
The Dolphins do have Jones and Howard. They also have promising 2019 rookie Nik Needham and both of the team’s current starting safeties (Bobby McCain and Eric Rowe) have experience at cornerback as well. But when bearing in mind just how much Brian Flores’ defense calls sub-packages into the equation, the Dolphins are going to need more reinforcements to ensure they have the depth necessary to run dime packages and match opposing personnel to Flores’ liking.
That might come in the way of safety additions as well. But the Dolphins are another Xavien Howard knee injury away from having the promise of their current backend disrupted and another fringe roster player thrown into a role that will command 40-something snaps per game.
No, the Dolphins shouldn’t be “set” at the cornerback. It is certainly one of the strengths of the roster as currently constructed. But the Dolphins’ roster reclamation is going to need to see this team go to a place where other teams are scrambling to pick up their waiver wire additions. That’s routinely what happens with perennial contenders like the Baltimore Ravens; and that’s what the Dolphins should aspire to be. They aren’t there yet at any position on the field — not even cornerback.