It’s no secret the Miami Dolphins could use help at cornerback, and they could target one of the best-available free agents at that spot.
Journeyman veteran Rasul Douglas was tied to Miami as a potential replacement for recently traded Jalen Ramsey.
Douglas has played eight seasons with four teams, most recently the Buffalo Bills in 2024. Douglas finished the year with 58 tackles, five passes defended in a forced fumble, while helping the Bills reach the AFC Championship Game.
Why Should The Dolphins Sign Rasul Douglas?
According to the Miami Herald, the Dolphins are in active discussions to sign Douglas, which should bode well for fans hoping the team will upgrade its cornerback spot.
“He’s the most accomplished HEALTHY corner available who isn’t older than 30,” Herald beat writer Barry Jackson posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday. “He has been a Miami focus if deal can be struck.”
Douglas has a lot of things going for him. He has 19 career interceptions and three touchdowns while also posting 441 tackles and two sacks.
But he also will only turn 30 on Aug. 29, which means he has relatively low mileage on him despite his veteran status, and is only one year removed from his best NFL season.
“He has had a good career, with 19 interceptions and 80 starts over nine seasons,” Jackson wrote in April. “He was very good in 2023 for Green Bay (and following a trade) Buffalo, producing five interceptions, three fumble recoveries, one sack, and a career-high two touchdowns in 16 games and 15 starts, despite playing part of the season with a torn MCL.
“Pro Football Focus rated him 12th among all cornerbacks that season.”
ESPN ranked Douglas the No. 1 free agent still on the market July 1, and writer Matt Bowen detailed what he would bring.
“Douglas is a physical corner with the length to disrupt the ball and the willingness to set an edge against the run (five tackles for loss last season),” Bowen wrote. “He’s an easy fit in a zone system that allows him to reroute underneath and attack the ball from the outside third of the field.”
The Dolphins’ cap space is limited, since they only have about $2 million according to Over The Cap. But Douglas has never had a cap hit of more than $3 million, and the fact he is a free agent this late in the game, means the Dolphins should be able to lock him in without worrying about their cap compliance.
What Other Cornerbacks Are Available?
If the talks between the Dolphins and Douglas fall through, there are other options. But Jackson capitalized “healthy” because there are other cornerbacks still on the market, but each is in varying states of health.
Outside of Douglas, Asante Samuel Jr. is probably the best-available candidate, since the former Los Angeles Chargers cornerback was ranked third in Bowen’s list on ESPN.com.
But Samuel is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery, and that injury cost him all but four games a season ago. Plus, Samuel’s dad, an All-Pro corner who won the Super Bowl with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, publicly called out the Dolphins for their lack of leadership after the Ramsey trade.
Mike Hilton is also still a free agent, but he is 31 years old, which is why he does not quite fit Jackson’s criteria. He was the fourth-ranked remaining free agent by Bowen yet may not fit because he plays slot corner.
“Hilton had 12 tackles for loss and eight pressures last season,” Bowen wrote. “He has a natural feel for playing in space as a coverage defender with the aggressive mentality to tackle and blitz on the edges. In eight seasons, Hilton has 13 interceptions, 11.5 sacks and 34 pass breakups.”
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