Dolphins release Cordrea Tankersley. And what Josh Rosen did that teammates appreciate
A six-pack of Miami Dolphins notes on a Tuesday:
▪ Cornerback Cordrea Tankersley, drafted in the third round by the Dolphins, won’t get a fourth year in Miami.
The Dolphins removed Tankersley from the COVID-19 list on Tuesday and immediately waived him, cementing his status as one of Miami’s bigger draft busts in the past few years. His time here was limited to 17 games, and he didn’t have a single interception.
The Dolphins concluded he likely wouldn’t make the roster and decided to move on.
Tankersley started 11 games as a rookie in 2017 and performed unevenly; his highlight was a pass breakup near the goal line to preserve Miami’s win in Atlanta that season.
But he was toasted repeatedly during 2018 preseason, appeared in only six games as a reserve that season, and sustained a season-ending torn ACL in a Nov. 1 practice.
He missed last season recovering from the knee injury, with the Dolphins bypassing an opportunity to activate him midway through the season.
Intrigued by his length and athleticism, the Dolphins selected Tankersley 97th overall in the 2017 draft, choosing the former All-ACC cornerback over — among others — West Virginia cornerback Rasul Douglas, who went two spots later to Philadelphia and has five interceptions in three seasons.
Tankersley was due to make $825,000 in the final year of his contract. For cap purposes, the Dolphins save $825,000 of his $1 million hit. The Dolphins, incidentally, picked up another $2.8 million in cap savings when Allen Hurns decided to opt out of the 2020 season.
▪ Coaches aren’t the only ones pleased with how Josh Rosen has handled himself in recent months.
So are his teammates.
Turns out, Rosen was the team’s only quarterback who threw much to Dolphins receivers this offseason.
Ryan Fitzpatrick wasn’t in town for much of the offseason, and Tua Tagovailoa moved from Birmingham, Alabama, to South Florida in mid-June and didn’t have a chance to throw much to Dolphins receivers.
But Rosen arranged voluntary, off-site throwing sessions with Dolphins receivers, according to a source.
At times in the past, Rosen has gotten a bad rap on the issue of whether he’s a popular teammate. We have been told that Dolphins players like him and appreciate that he took the initiative to organize workouts.
Rosen is under contract to Miami through 2021. The Dolphins haven’t actively tried to trade him, but that could ultimately be their best option some time in 2021, as opposed to losing him for nothing after 2021. Here’s what history tells us about quarterbacks who get off to a career start similar to the one Rosen has experienced.
Incidentally, at least one Dolphins receiver also caught passes from another familiar name this summer: Seattle Seahawks backup Geno Smith, the former Miramar High and West Virginia standout and ex-Jets starter.
▪ The Dolphins have been easing back receiver Preston Williams from last November’s torn ACL, and a team source said there’s no assurance he will be deemed ready for Week 1, though Miami is cautiously optimistic he will be. He passed his physical and is progressing well. But Miami is being cautious.
Williams rated highly in a Football Outsiders piece on the NFL’s best and brightest prospects. The website used this criteria:
Drafted in the third round or later, or signed as an undrafted free agent; entered the NFL between 2017 and 2019; played fewer than 500 career offensive or defensive snaps (except running backs, who are allowed just 300 offensive snaps); have not signed a contract extension (players who have bounced around the league looking for the right spot, however, still qualify for the list); and age 26 or younger in 2020.
Williams was third on the list.
Here’s what Football Outsiders said:
“It had just turned November, the Dolphins were tanking for Tua (turns out they didn’t need to), and Williams was somehow the best receiver on the roster. ... After Williams left, DeVante Parker’s production exploded. Parker had zero games with over 75 receiving yards in the first nine. After Williams left, Parker reached that total in five of the last seven, earning a huge contract extension. Between Parker’s blowup and the hiring of new offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, Williams’ ability to repeat his early-season play is a bit more in question than some players on this list. Still, the Dolphins didn’t take a receiver in one of the deepest drafts at the position in some time, and Williams should recover from his injury in time for the 2020 season.
“A tall, fast jump-ball winner, Williams caught just 53 percent of his targets last year — but in an offense that did not truly hit its stride until after he left. Whether it’s Ryan Fitzpatrick or Tagovailoa at quarterback, Williams is the best bet among the receivers on this list to hit in a volume role. That’s why he’s parked right here.”
With the Dolphins losing Hurns to a 2020 opt out — and Williams coming off surgery — Miami could look to add a receiver. Regardless, Isaiah Ford and Gary Jennings have a real opportunity to claim the fifth and sixth receiver spots.
▪ One Dolphins move that was smart, in retrospect, and one that concerns me:
The smart one: The Dolphins’ decision not to match Denver’s four-year, $51 million offer to right tackle Ja’Wuan James 17 months ago. He played in just three games for the Broncos because of knee issues last season and has opted out of playing this season. General manager Chris Grier had interest but knew he shouldn’t overpay.
The personnel move that bothers me most this offseason: Selecting a long snapper in the sixth round (Blake Ferguson) and 185th overall instead of SMU receiver James Proche, who went to Baltimore with the 201st pick.
The explosive 5-11 Proche caught 111 passes for 1,225 yards and 15 touchdowns last season.
The Ravens, who traditionally draft well, landed two offensive weapons that Miami should have taken — running back running J.K. Dobbins and Proche. If either becomes a key piece, then criticism of Miami would be valid, particularly with Proche.
I simply cannot defend taking a long snapper in the sixth round with explosive talent still on the board.
▪ Among national voices, NBC’s Peter King has been most bullish about the Dolphins’ chances. He told WQAM’s Joe Rose Show on Tuesday: “If I had to pick, it will be Miami or Buffalo who will win the division. The AFC is fascinating because you’ve got about four or five teams that nobody really knows about. I count Miami in there. They will be at the top of the heap because Miami could win 10 games.”
▪ Quick stuff: The Dolphins released long snapper Rex Sunahara, who was signed just before Ferguson came off the COVID-19 list over the weekend. ...
How did Malcolm Perry land back on the COVID-19 list after testing positive earlier this offseason (according to Perry) and donating blood plasma? We’re hearing he was in close contact with someone who tested positive. ...
Position where Miami might be most uneasy? Left tackle. Though the team likes what it has long-term in rookie first-round pick Austin Jackson, it won’t be able to gauge whether he’s ready until the team starts practicing in pads.
The good news is that he will be going against a skilled pass rusher in newcomer Shaq Lawson when he gets first team work; Lawson has traditionally played opposite the left tackle and new Dolphins defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah against the right tackle.
There should be some uneasiness about opening the season with Julien Davenport as the starting left tackle, but that would be necessary if Jackson isn’t ready. Davenport has allowed 18 sacks in 23 games as an NFL offensive tackle, per Pro Football Focus.
This story was originally published August 4, 2020 at 5:02 PM.
