Miami Dolphins Free Agent Cornerback Targets
The Miami Dolphins need to find at least one starting cornerback this offseason, and free agency might be the best place to do it.
Jalen Ramsey has one starting position locked down, but the team cut last year’s starter, Kendall Fuller, and placed the right-of-refusal-tender on restricted free agent Kader Kohou.
Outside of that, Miami has Storm Duck, Ethan Bonner and Cam Smith under contract. While they are players worthy of filling out a depth chart, they’re not quite good enough to be counted on in a starting role.
With that in mind, we’ve decided to break down five cornerback options the Dolphins could sign next week.
Asante Samuel Jr., Los Angeles Chargers
One of the main reasons young players make it to free agency is because of injury, and that’s the case with Asante Samuel Jr. He played in just four games for the Chargers last season after suffering a shoulder injury “outside of practice.”
While the Dolphins need to be cautious of injury-prone players this offseason, Samuel played more than 1,000 snaps in 2023 and 2022, so he’s not a chronically injured player by any means.
Those two seasons also proved Samuel Jr. had what it took to be a full-time starter at the NFL level. He recorded seven interceptions and 22 pass breakups across two seasons and allowed an opposing passer rating of 81 (2022) and 98 (2023).
It’s important to note that Samuel Jr. played under defensive coordinator Jesse Minter last season. Like Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, Minter is a member of the Mike Macdonald coaching tree.
Although Samuel Jr. missed most of the season with an injury, he should at least be familiar with the basic principles of what the Dolphins are trying to do on defense.
Nate Hobbs, Las Vegas Raiders
Hobbs will make the most sense for the Dolphins if they want to add a starting slot cornerback.
That could happen if they put Kohou outside — where he played reasonably well last season — or if they don’t match another team’s offer to Kohou. In either scenario, Hobbs makes a lot of sense to lock down the starting slot position.
Hobbs played 304 slot snaps last season compared to 104 outside snaps, and his 6-1, 195-pound frame is perfect for life in the slot. Hobbs had one of his better seasons in coverage last year, as he allowed career lows in total yards given up (280) and yards per reception (9).
One area where Hobbs regressed is run defense. He had a career-high 24 percent missed tackle percentage last season, which has increased every season.
However, his missed tackle rate was never higher than 16 percent before this past season, so there’s a chance it was an outlier. Hobbs is a physical presence and a willing tackler, so it’s a fair bet that he will bounce back this season.
Hobbs did miss four games with an ankle injury last season, but he’s played at least 550 snaps in every season of his career. Additionally, will be just 26 when next season starts, so the Dolphins could view him as a long-term starter and not just a stop-gap option.
Paulson Adebo, New Orleans Saints
Like Samuel Jr., Adebo is a young player hitting free agency after suffering a season-ending injury. He broke his femur in Week 7 against the Denver Broncos but has been posting encouraging updates to social media this offseason.
Assuming his medicals check out, Adebo could be an option to start on the outside for the Dolphins in 2024. He’s just 25 years old and was a solid starter for the Saints in 2022 and 2023.
His numbers through seven games last season were pretty solid, too. He was on pace to allow his lowest average yards per reception and had three interceptions and seven pass breakups before getting hurt.
Ball production is where Adebo is likely to stand out. He has 10 interceptions and 29 pass breakups in his career, which is especially appealing for a Dolphins defense that only had four interceptions by defensive backs last season.
Kristian Fulton, Los Angeles Chargers
Fulton has much of the same appeal as Samuel Jr. He also played under Minter this past season, but he didn’t miss most of the year with an injury.
Instead, Fulton had arguably the best season of his career. Minter’s scheme, which is similar to Weaver’s, was an excellent fit for Fulton. The heavy zone-coverage looks allowed Fulton to key on the quarterback’s eyes and use his football IQ to properly cover routes.
Fulton recorded just one interception and five pass breakups last year, but his tape shows a player whose best reps come when the quarterback decides not to throw his way.
Even though Fulton projects as a starter in Miami’s scheme, his profile has a few pitfalls. For starters, he’ll have to cut down on penalties. He had a career-high nine last season and had some of his worst games down the stretch, including Los Angeles’ playoff loss to Houston.
If Fulton is going to continue getting better, it’s hard to imagine many other teams being a better fit than the Dolphins.
Brandon Stephens, Baltimore Ravens
Stephens falls into the “high-risk, high-reward” category of free agent options. He’s clearly a talented player but has struggled with consistency the past two seasons.
He’s played more than 1,000 snaps on the outside in each of the last two seasons and has given up his share of big plays. He allowed almost 1,000 yards in coverage last season and five touchdowns.
Still, Stephens would give the Dolphins more size and physicality at cornerback. He’s listed at 6-1, 215 pounds, and that size allows him to make some impressive plays on the ball. He’s recorded two interceptions and nine pass breakups in the last two seasons combined.
Stephens also has a connection to Weaver, as the two overlapped in Baltimore from 2021 to 2023. Weaver didn’t coach Stephens directly, but Weaver should have a good idea of whether Stephens is the type of player worth betting on.
He’s 27 years old and has shown some high-level flashes in the last two seasons. It would be risky to give him a huge contract, but there’s a chance he provides quality starting play for multiple seasons.
