The Miami Dolphins have won four straight games, and a big reason why is their defense allowing 17 points or less in each of those matchups. A big contributor to that is the AFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 14, Rasul Douglas.
Head coach Mike McDaniel spoke with the media and said “I had no idea how much of an impact (Rasul Douglas) could make as a year one player on the team and I see him right in there with our nucleus of guys as a driving force.” The Dolphins cornerback has secured an interception in each of the last two games.
Rasul Douglas’ Impact
GettyRasul Douglas and Ashtyn Davis
Prior to the season, ESPN writer Marcel Louis-Jacques named the secondary as the team’s biggest concern. This came as no surprise to anyone who followed the Dolphins. The team traded away Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey in the offseason and saw starting cornerback Kader Kohou go down with a season-ending injury at the beginning of training camp.
The Dolphins got back safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in the Jalen Ramsey trade, and signed Douglas a week and a half before their Week 1 matchup against Indianapolis. Douglas started the year on the bench, but was quickly inserted into their starting lineup as starting cornerback Storm Duck went down with an injury and was then placed on injured reserve.
Despite some believing Rasul Douglas had declined as a cornerback, Miami still saw something in the 30-year-old veteran. Miami’s front office was quickly proven right as he brought an immediate impact to the secondary group and locked down his starting job. Mike McDaniel also praised his leadership as a team guy and said he “had no idea how much he could aid in the team we’re trying to create”.
Aside from being a good locker room guy for the Dolphins, his play has been among the NFL’s best. He is currently graded as the fifth-best cornerback in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus. For what it’s worth, former Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey has made the transition to safety.
The Future of the Dolphins Secondary
While the Miami Dolphins secondary has been a pleasant surprise this year, their top two cornerbacks are not under contract for the following season. Rasul Douglas and Jack Jones are set to be free agents. Both have made solid cases for an extension, although there’s a reason both of them were available.
Cornerbacks don’t tend to age well, and Rasul Douglas will be 31 entering the 2026 season. However, if McDaniel is to be taken at his word, it sounds as if the current staff would be interested in having him around for the foreseeable future.
Jack Jones is a whole separate issue. The talent has always been there for him and his level of play has been high at multiple points of his career. Character concerns have always lingered with him, and that’s the primary reason he’s on his third team despite the talent. Those character concerns have not shown themselves in his tenure in Miami, and he has been happy working with Mike McDaniel. Perhaps this is the place where Jones finally feels comfortable.
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