Secondary
- CB Xavien Howard
- CB Byron Jones
- Nickel CB Nik Needham
- FS Jason McCourty
- SS Eric Rowe
No. 1 rotational player: SAF Brandon Jones
No surprises here at cornerback. Miami is paying top dollar for top talent and they’ll host both Jones and Howard in a bid to bottle up the Patriots’ offense and squeeze the field. Needham has been the team’s third-best corner in camp — so look for him to start but have a short leash given the depth of this group.
At safety, we’re giving the nod to Jason McCourty over Jevon Holland on account of the need for high-level communication as the Dolphins’ free safety. Holland is a more dynamic talent and can change the game — but he needs to be ready to call assignments out for the entire secondary. That is a big ask for a rookie against Josh McDaniels and the Patriots; and so we are projecting a conservative open for Holland.