Dolphins position review: What happens with Byron Jones and cornerback position?
In recent years, the cornerback position has been the lifeblood of a defense that has led the Dolphins. And the position was again supposed to be a position of strength for Miami in 2022. But it quickly turned into a question mark with a series of injuries that tested the group’s depth.
Now, the Dolphins must provide clarity with a key player at the position, as well as restock the depth ahead of the 2023 season. And the arrival of new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio could also mean new roles and responsibilities for players who have grown accustomed to playing man-to-man coverage at a high rate.
In the ninth of a series of position reviews, the Miami Herald will examine the Dolphins’ cornerbacks situation. Next is safety.
2022 IN REVIEW
The injury problems for the Dolphins’ cornerbacks started in the offseason. Last March, Byron Jones underwent surgery on his lower leg. The procedure wasn’t supposed to keep Jones sidelined past training camp but he ultimately didn’t play a down. Trill Williams also tore his ACL in training camp and Nik Needham tore his Achilles in the first half of the season. While Xavien Howard admittedly didn’t play up to his standard, undrafted rookie Kader Kohou was one the surprises of the season, stepping into a starting role.
DEPTH CHART
Xavien Howard
Skinny: Howard was named to his fourth Pro Bowl but recorded just one interception, his lowest total since an injury-riddled 2019 season, and dealt with a nagging groin injury that limited him at times. Howard, though, didn’t use the injury as an excuse and said he was dissatisfied with his play.
Contract: Howard, who turns 30 in July, is entering the second year of a new five-year deal he signed in 2022. He has a cap hit of $10,071,281, the eighth-largest on the team.
Byron Jones
Skinny: Jones missed the entirety of the 2022 season after a lower leg procedure that wasn’t believed to be significant at first. Last Saturday, he said in a pair of tweets that he “can’t run or jump because of my injuries sustained playing this game.”
Contract: Jones, who turns 31 in September, is entering the fourth year of a five-year contract he signed in 2020. He has a cap hit of $18,351,000, the fourth-largest on the team.
Kader Kohou
Skinny: Kohou was an afterthought when training camp opened, but injuries created an opportunity for the undrafted rookie and he seized it. Kohou made 13 starts, recorded one interception and was one of the most reliable players on a defense that struggled in periods.
Contract: Kohou, who turns 25 in November, is entering the second year of a three-year contract he signed as an undrafted free agent. He has a cap hit of $880,000.
Nik Needham
Skinny: Needham played in six games (five starts) but tore his Achilles in October and missed the remainder of the season.
Contract: Needham, who turns 27 in November, is headed for unrestricted free agency.
Keion Crossen
Skinny: Crossen was signed to be a core special teams player but injuries pushed him into the No. 3 cornerback role. He appeared in 16 games (two starts), recording 32 tackles and four pass deflections.
Contract: Crossen, who turns 27 in April, is entering the second year of a three-year contract he signed in 2022. He has a cap hit of $3,155,000 but none of his $2,865,000 base salary is guaranteed. The Dolphins can save that cap hit if they release Crossen.
Noah Igbinoghene
Skinny: Injuries also forced the Dolphins to call on the 2020 first-round pick and, despite his early-career struggles, Igbinoghene had some moments, including a game-sealing interception in Week 7. But Igbinoghene still only appeared in nine games and started two in 2022.
Contract: Igbinoghene, who turns 24 in November, is entering the fourth year of a five-year rookie contract, with a team option for the fifth season. He has a cap hit of $3,580,883.
Justin Bethel
Skinny: The Dolphins signed Bethel right before Week 1 and he was a mainstay on special teams but also played some snaps on defense because of injuries. He recorded one interception and 26 tackles.
Contract: Bethel, who turns 33 in June, is headed for unrestricted free agency.
Trill Williams
Skinny: Williams had a strong start to training camp but tore his ACL in the preseason opener, sidelining him for the remainder of the season.
Contract: Williams, who turns 24 in December, is entering the final year of a three-year contract he signed as an undrafted free agent. He has a cap hit of $875,000 but none of his $870,000 base salary is guaranteed.
1. How does the Byron Jones saga end?
Jones’ absence was the biggest mystery of the Dolphins’ season. And his availability for 2023 became even more uncertain when he broke his silence last Saturday.
In his end-of-season news conference, general manager Chris Grier said Jones “did everything he could to try and play so no qualms with that at all.” Grier, however, did not give insight when asked whether he would be a Dolphin in 2023.
Jones is not retiring and there is no pending lawsuit over the handling of his injury, a source told the Miami Herald. This makes any parting of ways most likely through a release, but that comes with some roadblocks.
A pre-June 1 cut or trade would give Miami a cap savings of $3,547,000 and a dead money $14,804,000 charge — and finding a willing trade partner may be a tough ask in itself. A post-June 1 cut or trade would give the Dolphins a cap savings of $13.6 million with a dead cap charge of only $4,751,000 — but the team wouldn’t be able to use the cap space until way past the first waves of free agency.
2. What does Howard look like in Fangio’s scheme?
Since he entered the league in 2016, Howard has been one of the league’s best at shadowing opposing wide receivers. But in 2022, he allowed a career-high 15.6 yards per completion, according to Pro Football Reference. With Howard turning 30 before the season starts and his injury history, it’s fair to question how effective he can be in a system that asks him to do so much on defense. But in Fangio’s scheme, Howard won’t be asked to chase receivers around as much. He’ll instead be covering zones with his eyes on the quarterback. And with Howard’s football IQ and knowledge of route concepts, it’s a pairing that could produce great results.
3. How do the Dolphins rebuild cornerback depth?
Cornerback was one of the many positions afflicted by injuries in 2022. The Dolphins opened the season without CB2 (Jones) and two reserves (Williams, Mackensie Alexander) and by midseason, had lost Needham, while Howard was dealing with a groin injury. Their depth seemingly would be restocked with the return of Needham and Williams, who both said they should be able to return at some point in training camp. But given the nature of their injuries, the Dolphins will likely need to add a capable veteran or use one of their Day 2 draft picks on a cornerback.
Offseason additions
Cornerback is a premium position in the NFL, so the Dolphins will likely have to search for a contributor who also won’t demand top-tier dollars. The Los Angeles Rams are reportedly expected to trade Jalen Ramsey but are the potential draft compensation plus the reworked contract he might desire — only $5 million in base salary is guaranteed on the final three years of his deal — worth it for a team without a lot of cap flexibility?
The Ravens’ Kyle Fuller and the Chargers’ Bryce Callahan are impending veteran free agents who have played in Fangio’s scheme, although Fuller is returning from a torn ACL he sustained in Week 1.
In a news conference, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said the cornerback class is one of the strongest in the draft. Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes and Alabama’s Eli Ricks are scheme-versatile players who project at outside corners.
