The Miami Dolphins came into the 2025 NFL Draft with a glaring need at cornerback — and unfortunately, they’re leaving the draft without having addressed it meaningfully.
They selected Jason Marshall Jr. in the fifth round and picked up a few undrafted free agents, but none of them are seen as immediate or future starters. With Jalen Ramsey likely on his way out via trade, Miami still needs to find two starting-caliber corners.
Kader Kohou, Cam Smith, and Storm Duck are expected to be part of the mix, but the Dolphins should seriously consider adding a veteran cornerback soon.
It’s also worth noting that any veteran signed after Monday won’t count against the NFL’s compensatory pick formula — a factor that often influences when teams make these types of moves.
Here are four veteran cornerbacks Miami should have on their radar:
Veteran Cornerback Options for the Dolphins
Rasul Douglas
Douglas spent last year with the Bills and is arguably the top corner still available. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins have already contacted him.
He started 15 games in 2024, tallying 43 tackles, five pass breakups, and one forced fumble. Although he’s known for his ball-hawking skills (19 career interceptions), he didn’t pick off a pass last season for the first time since 2020. He also gave up a career-high passer rating (116.9) and committed 10 penalties — another career worst.
Even with those declines, Douglas remains a reliable zone defender who can still handle some man coverage.
Shaquill Griffin
Griffin has played for several teams recently, but he had a solid year with the Vikings in 2024. He recorded 41 tackles, two interceptions, and six pass breakups.
As a zone coverage corner, Griffin could fit well in Anthony Weaver’s defense. He also posted some of the best stats of his career last season, allowing just a 76.2 passer rating and 54.5% completion rate. He’s disciplined too — no more than five penalties in a season since 2018 — and came cheaper than Douglas, making $4.5 million in 2024.
Mike Hilton
Hilton has been with the Bengals for the last four years and is mainly a slot corner. If the Dolphins believe Kohou can hold up outside and want to evaluate Smith and Duck, Hilton could be a solid slot option.
Although his coverage stats weren’t great in 2024 (105.6 passer rating allowed; 78.3% completion rate), Cincinnati’s pass defense struggled across the board. On the bright side, Hilton was much better against the run, logging a career-low missed tackle rate of 7.5%.
Asante Samuel Jr.
Samuel may be a long shot, given he doesn’t fit the physical, gritty profile Miami has targeted this offseason. However, with limited talent left on the market, he might be the best available.
He played just four games last year due to a shoulder injury sustained outside of practice. In 2022 and 2023, he logged over 1,000 snaps each season, with seven picks, 22 pass breakups, and solid passer ratings allowed (81 in 2022, 98 in 2023). He also previously played in a system similar to Miami’s under Jesse Minter, a fellow disciple of Mike Macdonald like Anthony Weaver.
Despite his lack of physicality, Samuel’s talent makes him a name to watch — even if the odds are slim.
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