The Miami Dolphins’ cornerback unit was always going to be a bit of a question mark.
Even before the injuries to Kader Kohou and Artie Burns, the group looked a bit unproven following the late-June trade that sent three-time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers. A trip to Detroit, however, revealed just how treacherous the season can be with these group of outside corners.
Across two joint practices, the Lions’ dynamic receiver duo of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams seemingly cooked the entire cornerback room. It didn’t matter who was lined up across from them. From Jack Jones to Kendall Sheffield to Cornell Armstrong to Storm Duck, nobody was safe. That’s likely why the entire unit had to play Saturday when the vast majority of starters got the game off.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, however, didn’t necessarily appear worried when asked what joint practices taught him about his cornerbacks.
“I got to learn so much about the cornerback unit because it challenged a lot of guys to do semi-uncomfortable things against super good receivers in 1-on-1s,” McDaniel said Thursday, later calling St. Brown “as good as they get.”
McDaniel has often stressed the importance of short-term memory when it comes to the cornerbacks and going 1-on-1 against a two-time All-Pro in St. Brown will certainly challenge that.
“You learn, ‘OK, what type of boldness that person has or are they just going to rely on stuff that’s worked before?’” McDaniel continued. “Having said that, what a great rep of seeing how people respond after they get punched, and that’s all that matters. A lot of guys got competitively challenged and that’s the No. 1 one thing. In this league, you better get ready for how you’re going to respond to a play being made. You have to. There was some really, really good, decisive discipline run fits and some good matched coverage from guys that I already knew had a play that they didn’t like in 1-on-1s. How awesome is that? Because I really get a better insight into who each person is and how to coach them and how to progress to the next day.”
Granted, the Dolphins did get a bit of revenge Saturday. With less than 30 seconds on the clock, cornerback Ethan Robinson blitzed Lions quarterback Henson Hook and managed to come down with a game-sealing interception. It was a welcomed sight after a long week that featured much of the unit’s appearance on the wrong end of a highlight tape.
“Every time you step out there in the NFL you’re playing against the best,” Robinson said Saturday. “Whether it’s ones, twos or threes, these are the best football players in America. So to go out there and be able to make plays in the preseason, it definitely gives you more confidence as you go on with your career.”
Duck even acknowledged the high stakes nature of Saturday’s game.
“Obviously they’re a really good team,” cornerback Storm Duck said. “They play hard ball. Today we wanted to show them that we can come out and do the same.”
And while the victory likely provided temporary relief, it should be clear that the room could certainly benefit from at least one experienced veteran.
Think about the elite quarterback-receiver duos that the Dolphins will face during the 2025 season.
Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey. Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers. Aaron Rodgers and D.K. Metcalf. Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans.
Even if the Dolphins want to bet on their pass rush, something the team has continued to emphasize, they still might end up regretting going a full season with this crop of corners.
Whether the Dolphins ultimately address the need at corner remains to be seen. A lack of quality backup offensive linemen should likely also be taken care of as well.
Then again a veteran can disrupt chemistry. The Dolphins have tried to build a very team-first culture and a guy who’s ultimately set in his ways could put the team in further jeopardy.
Unfortunately, this is what happens when a team refuses to address a crucial need early in free agency: your options become limited and sometimes it might just be best to go with what you got.