The Dolphins added another veteran to their work-in-progress defense on Wednesday, agreeing to a one-year deal with Ronnie Harrison, who has extensive experience at safety and some at inside linebacker.
Harrison, 29, has spent much of his career as a safety but has played mostly linebacker since joining the Colts in 2023. He spent last season as a linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons.
A Jaguars third-round pick out of Alabama in 2018, Harrison has started 52 games over eight seasons, including 22 in the first two years of his career with Jacksonville; 23 over his next three seasons with Cleveland; three over parts of two seasons with the Colts; and four last season with Falcons.
He had 29 tackles and two sacks in his 10 appearances for Atlanta, playing 44 percent of the defensive snaps in the games that he suited up for.
Over his eight seasons, he has 274 tackles (12 for loss), 8.5 sacks and seven interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns (against Philip Rivers and Jake Browning).
Former NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock rated Harrison the No. 3 safety in the 2018 draft. The Colts switched him to linebacker in November 2023, the sixth season of his career.
He began last season on the Falcons’ practice squad and was promoted to the active roster on Oct. 25.
At 6-2 and 207 pounds, Harrison could serve as the Dolphins’ No. 4 inside linebacker, behind Jordyn Brooks, Tyrel Dotson and Willie Gay Jr., or compete for a job at safety, where Miami has only three experienced players under contract (Lonnie Johnson, Zayne Anderson and Dante Trader Jr.)
Harrison is the 31st player signed by the Dolphins since Jon-Eric Sullivan was named general manager in January. The Dolphins still have close to $2 million left in cap space and will get an addition $20 million when Bradley Chubb’s release is processed June 2.