As Ramsey misses another practice, the Dolphins secondary has more questions than answers
The Miami Dolphins secondary was supposed to be one of its strongest units.
Despite the departure of four-time Pro Bowler Xavien Howard, the Dolphins added Super Bowl-winning cornerback Kendall Fuller and All-Pro safety Jordan Poyer.
Then the injury bug hit. Poyer fractured the bottom of his thumb early in training camp, which kept him out until Aug. 20. Jevon Holland dealt with an ankle injury that kept him out for most of training camp. Fuller has been occasionally held out of practice for veteran rest. And Ramsey, who was once again held out Thursday, has only practiced once during the past three weeks due to a hamstring injury.
The result: the starting secondary has sparingly practiced together since the first week of training camp as the Dolphins prepare for Sunday’s season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, however, is not worried.
“Even though they haven’t been able to take full-speed reps together as a unit, in terms of walk-throughs and all the communication and inner workings that are involved in that are just as important,” Weaver said. “From a skill set standpoint, for those guys to go out there and execute, I have a tremendous amount of confidence in them. What you missed is that continuity and communication, and I think we’ve been able to get that through walk through reps.”
What the secondary does have, however, in its favor is experience. Poyer, Fuller and Ramsey have a combined 20 years of experience, and Kader Kohou, the only player who has remained relatively healthy since training camp, and Holland add an extra three and four, respectively.
“I think we rely on a lot of our experience,” Poyer said Wednesday. “We’ve got guys that have played in the league for a long time on the back end, so just being able to understand our jobs, understand the jobs of the people around us and communicate.”
Quality time outside the facility also helps, according to Holland.
“As a whole, player to player, teammate to teammate, it’s important to spend time together,” Holland said in late August. “It definitely strengthens our bond as friends.”
Ramsey’s availability for Sunday’s is unclear. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver noted Thursday that he’s “hopeful” the star cornerback will suit up.
“He’s doing everything he can in the training room to try to put himself out there,” Weaver said Thursday. “We just have to be smart and cognizant that we do have two games” in four days.
If the Dolphins elect to preserve Ramsey for next Thursday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, undrafted second-year player Ethan Bonner will likely start in his place. Bonner played in two regular-season games — against the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys — in 2023 as well as the Dolphins’ postseason matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Storm Duck, an undrafted rookie out of Louisville, could also see some snaps.
It’s an “opportunity for Ethan Bonner,” Weaver said. “Opportunity for a young guy like Storm Duck. These are opportunities for guys who’ve earned their way on this roster. You wouldn’t be here, we wouldn’t think of putting you out on defense if we didn’t believe you can play. Regardless of who steps out there, I don’t care who starts. I care who finishes. I’ve said that before and I think all those guys can finish.”
Bonner, however, didn’t seem too worried about starting. He has had good preparation having to guard Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill. “Getting reps against that kind of speed is valuable because a lot of guys can’t actually run that fast,” Bonner said — but any amount of playing time “would be a good experience.”
“I’m going to be prepared to do whatever I’m asked,” Bonner said Thursday afternoon. “If that is to go out and start then I’ll be ready to go out and execute.”
With Weaver in his first season as defensive coordinator, the secondary will look to improve after finishing 15th in passing yards allowed in 2023. But an inactive Ramsey — even if for only a week — will surely propose a challenge.
“You have to adapt in this league,” Weaver said, later adding that “We’re not making wholesale changes if he doesn’t play. You obviously can’t replace a Jalen Ramsey with any one particular player. I think it just requires a defense as a whole to pick up that slack and we’re more than capable of doing that.”
This story was originally published September 5, 2024 at 2:03 PM.
