The Miami Dolphins took the first step toward rebuilding last year’s top 10 defense, placing a right-of-first-refusal tender on nickel cornerback Kader Kohou.
Kohou, an undrafted player who has started 38 of 47 games he’s played for the Dolphins the past three seasons, is now guaranteed a salary of $3.26 million in 2025. But that’s only if he signs the one-year contract.
Kohou, who contributed 45 tackles, two interceptions, eight pass deflections, forced two fumbles and recovered one fumble last season, can still be offered contracts by other NFL teams. However, the Dolphins have put themselves in position to match any offer made to the former Texas A&M Commerce standout by using the right-of-first refusal tender on the restricted free agent.
The Dolphins have lost players on restricted tenders (receiver Wes Welker) and franchise and transition tags (pass rusher Olivier Vernon and tight end Charles Clay) over the years. But teams teams usually shy away from pursuing restricted players, signing them to a contract they realize their initial team will likely match.
Miami could have used a first-round tender ($7.4 million), or a second-round tender ($5.3 million), which would have likely scared off any bidders, but chose to use the tender they did to keep Kohou’s price down.
Kohou is the only restricted free agent the Dolphins chose to tender, and will allow outside linebacker Quinton Bell and receiver Anthony Schwartz, two players who were also eligible for a restricted tender, to become unrestricted free agents.
However, that doesn’t mean that those players won’t be returning to Miami. Last year the Dolphins opted to re-sign Robert Jones to a one-year deal worth $2 million instead of using the restricted tender on the offensive guard, who started all 17 games for the Dolphins last season.
Because of the last month’s release of tailback Raheem Mostert, tight end Durham Smythe and cornerback Kendall Fuller, the recent restructuring of offensive tackle Terron Armstead and pass rusher Bradley Chubb’s contract, and Kohou’s tender, the Dolphins will open the free agent negotiations period next week Monday with roughly $25 million in cap space.
Only nine teams have less cap space than Miami, but that amount of space is sufficient enough to add roughly 7-10 mid-tier salary starters to the roster.
However, the Dolphins have numerous areas - both starting safety spots are vacant, both starting guard spots, inside linebacker, defensive tackle, defensive end - to address, either through re-signing their own free agents, free agency, or the upcoming NFL draft, where the Dolphins have 10 selections.
Fuller’s release means the Dolphins must find a starting boundary cornerback to put on the opposite side of Jalen Ramsey because Cam Smith, Storm Duck and Ethan Bonner haven’t proven they can handle that responsibility yet, and Kohou is best utilized defending slot receivers, which is what he’s done most of his three NFL seasons.