Tag: Eli Apple

Dolphins free agent profile: No need to bring CB Eli Apple back

What the Dolphins should do with CB Eli Apple this offseason.

The Miami Dolphins have 29 players who are set to hit free agency in March, including a cornerback who was signed during training camp and played a big role in 2023 – Eli Apple.

Apple, 28, was originally selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft by the New York Giants after a collegiate career at Ohio State that included a national championship and Second-team All-Big Ten appearance in 2015.

He spent 2016-18 with the Giants, 2018-19 with the New Orlseasons Saints, 2020 with the Carolina Panthers and 2021-22 with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Miami signed Apple last July after cornerback Jalen Ramsey suffered a meniscus injury that sidelined him until midway through the regular season. At that point, the Dolphins needed another healthy veteran, and Apple was who they decided to give opportunities to instead of their rookie second-round pick Cam Smith.

Apple ended up playing 49.9% of the team’s defensive snaps, which was a big drop-off from his previous years where he often played 86-88%. In the 10 games that he played for the Dolphins, he recorded 46 tackles, nine passes defensed, an interception and a half-sack while allowing a 65.2% completion percentage and a 91.4 passer rating when targeted.

Pro Football Focus graded him as the 102nd-best cornerback in the NFL.

The Dolphins have three other cornerbacks (Justin Bethel, Elijah Campbell and Nik Needham) also hitting free agency this offseason, and Xavien Howard may be a cap casualty, so they definitely need help at the position.

However, Apple’s performance in 2023 should have shown the coaching staff and front office that they can more from someone else, whether that’s another free agent, a draft pick or someone like Smith or Ethan Bonner, who will be entering their second year and didn’t get many opportunities last year.

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Projected market value for 5 Dolphins entering free agency

Spotrac has projected the market values of 5 Dolphins expected to hit free agency.

The Miami Dolphins are set to have 29 players hit free the market this March, meaning they could be losing a big chunk of the roster that had them in contention for the division and the second seed in the conference up until the last week of the regular season.

While negotiations are always unpredictable, Spotrac has projected market value’s for a few of the Dolphins free agents.

Here’s what deals might look like for some members of the aqua and orange hitting free agency in just a few weeks.

Grading the Dolphins cornerbacks after their 2023 season

A look at Miami’s cornerbacks, and the year they had in 2023.

The Miami Dolphins finished their 2023 campaign with an 11-6 record and made the postseason for the second time in as many years under head coach Mike McDaniel. Unfortunately, it came to an end with a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild-card round.

While other teams are in the midst of their playoff run, it’s time to do some reflecting on the team in South Florida.

Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be reviewing and evaluating different positions for the Dolphins in 2023. Today, we’ll look at the cornerbacks.

Dolphins CB Eli Apple leaves vs. Chiefs with injury

Miami loses another CB.

The Miami Dolphins entered Saturday night’s contest against the Kansas City Chiefs down a cornerback, as Xavien Howard has been dealing with a foot injury for a bit now.

Unfortunately, before the first quarter of the playoff matchup ended, Miami lost another, as Eli Apple suffered an injury and was helped off the field by the training staff.

With Howard out and rookie Cam Smith a healthy scratch, the Dolphins are forced to play undrafted rookie Ethan Bonner opposite Jalen Ramsey.

UPDATE: Apple returned in the second quarter.

Bills at Dolphins: Key matchups to watch in Week 18

#Bills at #Dolphins: Key matchups to watch in Week 18:

The Buffalo Bills will visit the Miami Dolphins in their upcoming Week 18 matchup at Hard Rock Stadium.

The two teams have been rigorously preparing for the contest throughout the past week. Buffalo (10-6) and Miami (11-5) will think they know their upcoming opponent, inside and out, after all the practicing and studying they have put in.

Because of that, despite all the off-field talking, speculation and discussion, it will still be the games, within the game, that will make all the difference when it comes to the final outcome of this upcoming weekend.

With that, here are three key matchups to watch during Sunday’s Bills-Dolphins contest:

News, notes and nuggets heading into massive Dolphins vs. Bills battle

Some nuggets heading into this pivotal Week 18 matchup.

Following a brutal loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, the Miami Dolphins are still in a position to claim the AFC East, which comes with the No. 2 seed, a home playoff game and potentially more.

The hated Buffalo Bills have had their own rollercoaster of a season and find themselves in win-and-in playoff situations while a loss could even leave them on the outskirts of the postseason.

While this game may not be for the faint of heart, perhaps the stakes could’ve been avoided if Miami was able to lock one or two more wins up over the course of the season. However, the Dolphins sit at 11-5 and aim to lock up their first divisional title since 2008. They were crowned division winners then on the very last game of the season, beating the New York Jets on the road.

The last time the Miami and Buffalo franchises played for the AFC East title on the last game of the season was December 19, 1981.

Here are some more news, notes and nuggets for Sunday’s game:

Studs and duds from Dolphins blowout loss to Ravens

Who deserves credit, and who deserves criticism for their performances?

The Miami Dolphins were handed their fifth loss of the season on Sunday, as they were defeated by the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

Mike McDaniel’s team struggled to play their best ball on offense and defense, as they allowed Lamar Jackson and company to dominate them up and down the field. And, on offense, they were unable to get anything going in the passing game, as they turned the ball over three times.

As we do after every game, let’s take a look at some of those who deserve credit and some who deserve criticism. for their performances against the Ravens.

Behind Enemy Lines: Week 5 Q&A with Dolphins Wire

With a Week 5 matchup between the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins on tap, we go behind enemy lines for a chat with Dolphins Wire.

The New York Giants (1-3) and Miami Dolphins (3-1) will square off on Sunday afternoon in a Week 5 matchup at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The Giants opened the week as 10.5-point road underdogs but that spread has only gotten worse. They are +12.5 as of this writing.

With this matchup on tap, Giants Wire took the opportunity to hold a Q&A with Dolphins Wire managing editor Mike Masala.

Recently-released Saints wide receiver lands with Dolphins

Recently-released New Orleans Saints wide receiver Keke Coutee landed with the Miami Dolphins, joining other former Saints like Terron Armstead and Eli Apple:

Yet another former New Orleans Saints player has landed with the Miami Dolphins, who signed wide receiver Keke Coutee after the Saints released him last week to open a roster spot for linebacker Jaylon Smith, per the daily NFL transactions wire.

Coutee experienced some gaffes fielding punts at Saints training camp, and the number of bodies in the receiving corps made him expendable. New Orleans has continued to whittle down the group by releasing veteran wideout James Washington.

Miami has collected a number of former Saints including All-Pro left tackle Terron Armstead, defensive backs Trill Williams and Bryce Thompson, defensive tackle Josiah Bronson, and much-maligned cornerback Eli Apple. But it’ll be a while before any of them play against their old team. Barring a surprise Super Bowl matchup this year, New Orleans isn’t scheduled to see the Dolphins again until they visit Miami for a road game in 2025.

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Ex-Saints WR Brandon Marshall says Eli Apple has the same flaws that got him beat in 2018

Brandon Marshall says Eli Apple is still committing the same poor pass coverage techniques that got him beat when they were Saints teammates in 2018:

It’s not often you see a couple of former New Orleans Saints players trading barbs with each other, but Eli Apple didn’t exactly leave town with many allies in the building (or packing the stands at the Caesars Superdome). Neither did Brandon Marshall, who flamed out in New Orleans after a month on the scout team before going on to criticize the Saints and then-head coach Sean Payton in his fledgling media career.

These days Apple is getting roasted, grilled, fried, barbecued, and cooked in all manner of other ways by Miami Dolphins wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. And Marshall sees him committing the same flawed coverage techniques he says he warned Apple about when they were teammates back in 2018.

In one video clip shared from Dolphins training camp, Apple can be seen failing to get hands on Hill off the line of scrimmage and trailing the receiver behind as Hill works towards the sideline; Apple was a step slow and unable to recover in time to fight Hill at the catch point, allowing a too-easy completion into his coverage. It’s par for the course with him, though, and whatever lessons Marshall may have once tried to teach him didn’t take (to say nothing of a Saints coaching staff that’s developed many starting-caliber defensive backs).

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