Everyone knew entering the 2019 season that the year would be an “evaluation year” for the Miami Dolphins. The team was effectively starting from scratch and, with the luxury of time and job security on their side, the Dolphins were intent to use the games on the schedule to find the right long-term pieces for the vision shared by GM Chris Grier and coach Brian Flores.
And now that we’re a full year removed from that evaluation window, the Dolphins are starting to make the personnel decisions that seem to reflect what the 2019 season told them. First came the surprising cut of safety Steven Parker, who played significant snaps for the Dolphins last season. Those significant snaps weren’t necessarily bad — but the Dolphins appear to have other plans for the back end of the defense.
Now, a report from Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald indicates another prominent contributor from 2019 may be on the outs: safety Adrian Colbert.
The Dolphins plan to release S Adrian Colbert who played significant time on defense for them last season.
— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) August 15, 2020
Colbert played in 6 games (starting 5) and played a total of 361 defensive snaps for the Dolphins last season and had apparently done enough to warrant another year with the team — the Dolphins tendered Colbert as a restricted free agent this spring and signed him to a one-year deal worth in excess of $1M. Colbert’s presence didn’t prevent the team from adding free agent Clayton Fejedelem and Kavon Frazier at the position, sturdy backups with special teams appeal, nor did he prevent the team from drafting Brandon Jones in the early 3rd-round in April’s 2020 NFL Draft. Jones is expected to fill a “Patrick Chung-role” for the Dolphins’ defense, complementing the man-coverage ability of Eric Rowe (strong safety) and Bobby McCain (free safety).
With the team claiming former Auburn defensive back Jeremiah Dinson over the weekend, Salguero’s report indicates that Colbert may be the next odd man out — and that his play in 2019 was a big enough sample size for Miami to know that he’s not likely a long-term fit with the team.
Financially, Over The Cap indicates that cutting Colbert will save the Dolphins $700k against their salary cap this season — with $450k in dead cap. The Dolphins have not announced this transaction yet, but the report from Salguero indicates it may be the next corresponding move as the Dolphins continue to churn their defensive backfield.