A November conversation and an opportunity paying dividends for Dolphins’ Adrian Colbert
Adrian Colbert waited 13 months for the opportunity.
An ankle injury had derailed the second half of the former Miami Hurricanes standout’s second NFL season. The San Francisco 49ers released him at the end of the 2019 preseason, he bounced around with the Seattle Seahawks for a bit but saw no playing time.
And then, in late November, he received a call from the Miami Dolphins.
“We have an opportunity for you here,” Colbert remembers being told. “It’s up to you what you’re going to do with it.”
Colbert has made the most of the second chance.
He has played in all four games since signing with Miami and has been on the field for all but four defensive snaps in the past three.
When he stepped on the field for the Dolphins’ 41-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 24, it ended Colbert’s 13-month, three-day stretch between games played.
He has started every game since.
“It’s been a blessing trying to get back into the rhythm of playing,” Colbert said Thursday ahead of the Dolphins’ home finale against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. “It’s been cool finding a groove, trying to get into a regular groove on the field and catching up to speed.”
And if he keeps making a strong impression, he will likely have a chance to compete for a roster spot in 2020. Colbert, 26, will be a restricted free agent this offseason, so the Dolphins could retain his rights by tendering him. Bobby McCain and Eric Rowe are expected back next year. Reshad Jones, who would have a $15.63 million cap hit next season as part of his five-year, $60 million contract, is likely to be a cap casualty.
“It feels like he’s been here all year,” Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said. “He’s smart. He’s a really good teammate. It’s important to him. He works extremely hard from a preparation standpoint. He’s here early, stays late trying to get the information correct. He’s a guy who brings people together.”
His talents were on display early in his career. Despite being a seventh-round pick, he started six of the 49ers’ final seven games during his rookie season in 2017.
Colbert opened the 2018 season as a starter and played in six of San Francisco’s first seven games before a high right ankle sprain in the third quarter against the Los Angeles Rams landed him on injured reserve.
He never played another snap that season.
Waiting more than a year to get back on the field for a live game didn’t aid his psyche, either.
“That injury just took a toll on me mentally and physically,” Colbert said. “It affects a whole chain of things as you recover and get back to 100 percent. I dealt with a lot of complications with that ... It worked me in the mental more after the ankle got better because even though it was better but I wasn’t playing. A lot of extra mental work went into getting to this point.”
He bided his time. He kept focused. He waited for that next opportunity.
It finally came with the Dolphins.
And now, they can’t get him off the field.
Since the Dolphins inserted him as a starting safety, Colbert has played 206 of 210 defensive snaps. He has 12 tackles and a defended pass to his name in four games.
“The game’s not too big for him,” safeties coach Tony Oden said two weeks ago. “He’s got some decent size, he can run, he’s got a physical component to his game, and also he has a cerebral component. When you put those things together, you have an opportunity to have a solid player. He works hard too. It means something to him. He’s a passionate young man, which is excellent.”
He has two more weeks to keep making his case.
“Everybody’s new. Nothing’s set in stone,” Colbert said. “They felt like I could be part of this organization moving forward. I just have to put this on paper.”
This story was originally published December 19, 2019 at 3:09 PM.
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