The Miami Dolphins are entering an extremely pivotal season with Tua Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback. With injury concerns continuing to mount about the talented QB, there is a possibility that the Dolphins blow it up if things dont go according to plan. After missing out on the playoffs entirely last year, that plan could be different for different people. But a return to the postseason scans as a minimum for Miami this year.
However, Mike McDaniel needs to worry about more than the offense going into 2025, particularly with a proven veteran like Jalen Ramsey now out of the lineup. His departure has opened up a space at the cornerback spot, where one analyst has the perfect replacement in mind.
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How Can the Miami Dolphins Replace Jalen Ramsey?
Ramsey came to the Dolphins in 2023 after making six consecutive Pro Bowl appearances in a time split between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Los Angeles Rams. Even after arriving in Miami, he was immediately excellent, earning his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl selection.
Last year, his numbers took a slight dip. But he was still effective, both in terms of reliability (he appeared in all 17 games) and production (60 total tackles, 11 pass deflections, and two interceptions).
His play was a big reason for the Dolphins defensive turnaround. The defense took a significant step forward last year, ranking 11th on PFSNs Defense+ metric. However, due to an extremely expensive roster, Miami needed to cut costs somewhere, with Ramsey becoming the odd man out.
In a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the franchise parted ways with him after just two seasons, opening up a massive hole at the cornerback spot. As a result, Bleacher Reports Kristopher Knox has Miami as a prime destination for most available free agent corners.
One name, in particular, for Knox was the second-generation star Asante Samuel Jr. Recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered last season, Samuel is yet to sign with an organization this summer. But for Knox, no team makes more sense than Miami.
Singing his praises, Knox wrote, Samuel allowed an opposing passer rating of 87.4 in limited action last year and has allowed an opposing passer rating under 100 in all four of his NFL campaigns. He also recorded 35 pass deflections and six interceptions in his first three seasons.
As a result, he believed it made perfect sense for Miami to add him, particularly since the Dolphins have just $2.3 million in cap space available. For the team, he would fill an immediate position of need in the secondary.
Samuel, coming off an injury, could use a high-profile role and situation like the Dolphins to stabilize his career and potentially earn a long-term contract as early as next season.
