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Welcome to the penultimate group position discussion (don't you love the word penultimate?). On today's Independence Day feature, we'll discuss Cornerbacks and our post X situation. Hoard is gone, long live Miami!
Most NFL teams now use a three CB set as their standard starting lineup. Because of this, teams keep at least six CBs on the roster, and rostering seven has become ever more common. Last year, we generally carried 11 total DBs on our 53, and I suspect that we will again this season.
Our boundary starters are written in stone. We have Jalen Ramsey-- an every year Pro Bowl player, and Kendall Fuller who is almost as good as Jalen. This is an upgrade over last year's pair that contained the perennially injured Xavien Howard and his 'me me me' attitude. This pairing might be the best starting duo in the NFL. If there is a potential weakness here, it is the fact that both players are pushing 30.
In the slot, we'll have Kader Kohou who regressed a bit last year as we asked him to occasionally play on the boundary after we used him almost exclusively in the slot as a rookie. This didn't work as Kader is only 5'10" and is more quick than fast; nickle corner will be his permanent home in the NFL. I believe the Dolphins learned their lesson and I think we can expect great results from the ultra-scappy Kader as he'll be back playing his natural position this season.
In the offseason, the front office chose to stand pat with regard to our back up CBs, choosing not to sign any real experienced veteran depth. I believe this was due primarily to their faith in two players: last year's second round pick Cam Smith, and the UDFA from Stanford, Ethan Bonner.
Bonner is an interesting player and not just because he's that true unicorn, a caucasian corner. His college career was wrecked by a series of minor injuries that kept him out of the limelight, but he runs a sub 4.4 40 and tested extremely well in the agility drills and jumps as well. He should have been drafted and we got him to Miami by outbidding the other teams for his services. If he remains healthy, he LOOKs like a 1st or 2nd round player. I know that Miami has had a recent history of nailing UDFA CBs, but I honestly feel as though Ethan could become the best of the bunch. Look for Bonner to seriously press Cam Smith for the 4th corner position... yes, I like him... a LOT.
Cam Smith was just buried by Fangio last year, and we have no real way of knowing whether this was due to Cam's play or just Fangio's intransigence. We do know this, Smith openly celebrated when Fangio left the building so there was no love lost there. The best that we can go on was Cam's draft status and his preseason play last year, which was decent, if unspectacular.
The next two on our roster ARE veterans. Nik Needham whose career was seriously threatened by an Achilles tear a couple of years ago and Siran Neal who is primarily a special teams player. Both of these guys are nickle back/3rd safety tweeners. If Nik, in his second year after Achilles surgery, gets his burst back, he probably has a good leg up on Neal for that 10th DB spot, but some guys never get it back and Nik didn't have a lot to begin with.
Both of these guys will have to make the team with their adaptability and their special teams play. Neither makes a lot of money and cutting them wouldn't hurt much. (Less than a million each in guaranteed money).
Now... before I get to the longshots, let me circle back to Jalen Ramsey and some of my comments in the earlier Safety group post. Fangio and his two deep/split safeties concepts are gone, and with a new D.C., we should see more three safety looks with Jalen Ramsey likely playing the 'star' position. Jalen has said as much in his early interviews.
What we don't know is which CB will then step into Jalen's spot at CB. Will it be Kohou? I'm leaning against that. I suspect than Smith or Bonner will take the field when we use this formation whike Kohou subs out. We've seen Kohou's limitations on the boundary, so I believe one of the second year players will inherit these downs... and because of this, I suspect that we'd keep a 7th CB over a 5th Safety, although we obviously have several utility players who play both spots... which in turn, makes me more likely to believe that we'll keep Needham AND Neal.
Is that as clear as mud? Yeah... the bottom of the roster is always a crapshoot... let's continue.
The two remaining CBs are Jason Maitre, an UDFA from Wisconsin and Isaiah Johnson from Syracuse. Maitre is a bit undersized and will probably be restricted to slot corner work. While Johnson is the new CB prototype; he's 6'3" but he runs so poorly that he may be forced to play strong safety. I'd be pretty shocked if either made the opening day roster. If I'm going to bet on a longshot, I'm not putting money down on an indifferent player from a major college, I'm going to bet on a small schools guy or someone coming back from an injury.
So there you have it, two long posts covering the many many DBs that we are bringing to camp. As I've said in my earlier post, the bottom 2 or 3 of this group will be a real fistfight, and while I'm loathe to stick my neck out on this one... here's my 'don't quote me on this' special.
We'll keep
CB: Ramsey, Fuller, Kohou, Smith, Bonner
S: Holland, Poyer, Maye
U: Needham, Neal
...and either Perry, McMorris, or Duck.
Your mileage may differ. Have a great Independence Day!
Most NFL teams now use a three CB set as their standard starting lineup. Because of this, teams keep at least six CBs on the roster, and rostering seven has become ever more common. Last year, we generally carried 11 total DBs on our 53, and I suspect that we will again this season.
Our boundary starters are written in stone. We have Jalen Ramsey-- an every year Pro Bowl player, and Kendall Fuller who is almost as good as Jalen. This is an upgrade over last year's pair that contained the perennially injured Xavien Howard and his 'me me me' attitude. This pairing might be the best starting duo in the NFL. If there is a potential weakness here, it is the fact that both players are pushing 30.
In the slot, we'll have Kader Kohou who regressed a bit last year as we asked him to occasionally play on the boundary after we used him almost exclusively in the slot as a rookie. This didn't work as Kader is only 5'10" and is more quick than fast; nickle corner will be his permanent home in the NFL. I believe the Dolphins learned their lesson and I think we can expect great results from the ultra-scappy Kader as he'll be back playing his natural position this season.
In the offseason, the front office chose to stand pat with regard to our back up CBs, choosing not to sign any real experienced veteran depth. I believe this was due primarily to their faith in two players: last year's second round pick Cam Smith, and the UDFA from Stanford, Ethan Bonner.
Bonner is an interesting player and not just because he's that true unicorn, a caucasian corner. His college career was wrecked by a series of minor injuries that kept him out of the limelight, but he runs a sub 4.4 40 and tested extremely well in the agility drills and jumps as well. He should have been drafted and we got him to Miami by outbidding the other teams for his services. If he remains healthy, he LOOKs like a 1st or 2nd round player. I know that Miami has had a recent history of nailing UDFA CBs, but I honestly feel as though Ethan could become the best of the bunch. Look for Bonner to seriously press Cam Smith for the 4th corner position... yes, I like him... a LOT.
Cam Smith was just buried by Fangio last year, and we have no real way of knowing whether this was due to Cam's play or just Fangio's intransigence. We do know this, Smith openly celebrated when Fangio left the building so there was no love lost there. The best that we can go on was Cam's draft status and his preseason play last year, which was decent, if unspectacular.
The next two on our roster ARE veterans. Nik Needham whose career was seriously threatened by an Achilles tear a couple of years ago and Siran Neal who is primarily a special teams player. Both of these guys are nickle back/3rd safety tweeners. If Nik, in his second year after Achilles surgery, gets his burst back, he probably has a good leg up on Neal for that 10th DB spot, but some guys never get it back and Nik didn't have a lot to begin with.
Both of these guys will have to make the team with their adaptability and their special teams play. Neither makes a lot of money and cutting them wouldn't hurt much. (Less than a million each in guaranteed money).
Now... before I get to the longshots, let me circle back to Jalen Ramsey and some of my comments in the earlier Safety group post. Fangio and his two deep/split safeties concepts are gone, and with a new D.C., we should see more three safety looks with Jalen Ramsey likely playing the 'star' position. Jalen has said as much in his early interviews.
What we don't know is which CB will then step into Jalen's spot at CB. Will it be Kohou? I'm leaning against that. I suspect than Smith or Bonner will take the field when we use this formation whike Kohou subs out. We've seen Kohou's limitations on the boundary, so I believe one of the second year players will inherit these downs... and because of this, I suspect that we'd keep a 7th CB over a 5th Safety, although we obviously have several utility players who play both spots... which in turn, makes me more likely to believe that we'll keep Needham AND Neal.
Is that as clear as mud? Yeah... the bottom of the roster is always a crapshoot... let's continue.
The two remaining CBs are Jason Maitre, an UDFA from Wisconsin and Isaiah Johnson from Syracuse. Maitre is a bit undersized and will probably be restricted to slot corner work. While Johnson is the new CB prototype; he's 6'3" but he runs so poorly that he may be forced to play strong safety. I'd be pretty shocked if either made the opening day roster. If I'm going to bet on a longshot, I'm not putting money down on an indifferent player from a major college, I'm going to bet on a small schools guy or someone coming back from an injury.
So there you have it, two long posts covering the many many DBs that we are bringing to camp. As I've said in my earlier post, the bottom 2 or 3 of this group will be a real fistfight, and while I'm loathe to stick my neck out on this one... here's my 'don't quote me on this' special.
We'll keep
CB: Ramsey, Fuller, Kohou, Smith, Bonner
S: Holland, Poyer, Maye
U: Needham, Neal
...and either Perry, McMorris, or Duck.
Your mileage may differ. Have a great Independence Day!
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