Miami Dolphins continue to fortify secondary with signing of CB Kader Kohou
Miami Dolphins will keep nickel cornerback Kader Kohou, per the NFL transaction report.
A restricted free agent that the Dolphins offered a right-of-first-refusal tender in March, Kohou officially signed his one-year deal worth up to $3.26 million on Friday.
The former Texas Commerce standout started 38 of 47 games for the Dolphins over the past three seasons despite going undrafted in 2022.
“He’s a prime example of a guy that had the intangibles to do what very few guys do and that’s contribute as an undrafted rookie, and with that, he kind of settled in on some expectations and with changes in the system and some injury stuff, he hasn’t always been satisfied with where he was at and he kept fighting,” coach Mike McDaniel said of Kohou in late December. “And I think just as of late, you can tell his teammates are rallying around his play because they know how important it is to him and they know how important he is to our defense and our team. When he’s playing well, he’s a coverage player that stops the ball in space like a linebacker. He has instincts and the toughness and just really the football awareness to do things in the run and pass game and nickel defense that is of primary importance.”
Kohou contributed contributed 45 tackles, two interceptions, eight pass deflections, forced two fumbles and recovered one fumble during the 2024 season. His two picks tied with cornerback Jalen Ramsey for second-most on the team. One of the two essentially sealed the Dolphins’ 29-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
“I know when they go three by one they like to run like a dagger to [receiver Jauan Jennings],” Kohou said after the Dec. 22 game. “So we were in Cover 2. I just made it look like it was man and then last second I got back and he threw it straight to me.”
With Kohou’s return, the Dolphins have now locked up two of the potential three starting cornerback spots. Still, an outside cornerback to complement Ramsey is needed.
As of Friday, the only cornerbacks on the roster include 2024 undrafted free agent Storm Duck, two players in Cam Smith and Ethan Bonner that haven’t logged a NFL start and four guys who spent most of the 2024 season on practice squads in Isaiah Johnson, Jason Maitre, Artie Burns and Bump Cooper Jr.
The remaining crop of free agent cornerbacks include Asante Samuel Jr., Tre’Davious White and Stephon Gilmore. Miami could also opt to select a cornerback in the upcoming NFL Draft.
