The Miami Dolphins added this veteran cornerback. And he is a former Patriot
The Dolphins agreed to terms with cornerback Eric Rowe late Tuesday night, adding a former Patriots player to a position of need, according to a league source.
The source said it’s a one-year deal that could be worth as much as $4.5 million with incentives, but only $500,000 is guaranteed.
Rowe, 26, beat out Jason McCourty for the starting cornerback job opposite Stephen Gilmore in Patriots training camp last year, but was benched after allowing three receptions for more than 20 yards and a touchdown in a Week 2 loss at Jacksonville.
Rowe, 6-1, missed the next three games with a groin injury, played as backup in the following two games and then was placed on season-ending injured reserve on Oct. 31 with that groin injury.
The Philadelphia Eagles selected Rowe 47th overall out of Utah in the 2015 draft. The Eagles acquired that pick from the Dolphins.
Rowe started five games for the Eagles as a rookie and had an interception but Philadelphia traded him to New England for a conditional fourth-round pick in September 2016.
He started seven games for the Patriots in 2016 and had an interception; he hasn’t had one in 12 NFL games since.
He started three games for the Patriots in 2017 but missed seven games with a groin injury. He started in place of Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl that season but allowed four completions for 80 yards in that 41-33 loss to Philadelphia.
Rowe had 82 tackles, 16 deflections and the two interceptions in 35 career games.
The Dolphins at some point would like to move Minkah Fitzpatrick from cornerback to safety but want to see how the roster shakes out before deciding whether to make that move in 2019.
If Fitzpatrick plays safety, the Dolphins need a cornerback to start opposite Xavien Howard, and Rowe is the latest contender, joining a group including Tory McTyer, Cordrea Tankersley, Jalen Davis, Cornell Armstrong and Dee Delaney.
Bobby McCain is also an option but is better suited to the slot.
Rowe will count against the Dolphins in the compensatory draft pick formula that I explained here.
Rowe is the second member of the 2018 Patriots to join the Dolphins in the past week, joining tight end Dwayne Allen.
This story was originally published March 13, 2019 at 1:16 AM.