The latest wave of former Patriots players wanting to continue their careers under Dolphins coach Brian Flores has arrived in South Florida.
On Wednesday morning, the Dolphins agreed to terms with cornerback Justin Coleman, a league source confirmed to The Athletic. Miami later agreed to terms with defensive lineman Adam Butler, also formerly of the Patriots. Let’s analyze Coleman’s signing.
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How he fits
Coleman boasts experience as a six-year veteran and he has familiarity with Flores and defensive coordinator Josh Boyer from working with them in New England during his first two seasons. He arrives in Miami after playing for another former Patriots assistant, Matt Patricia, in Detroit. Flores hasn’t been shy about reuniting with former New England players; last offseason, the Dolphins added center Ted Karras and linebackers Elandon Roberts and Kyle Van Noy. But Karras and Roberts are unrestricted free agents and Van Noy has since been released.
Coleman, who was released earlier this month by the Lions, was ranked No. 61 on The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia’s free-agency rankings. He played in 11 games last season, with a hamstring injury costing him the other five, and has four career interceptions.
“He set the salary ceiling for slot corners in 2019, signing a four-year, $36 million deal with the Lions,” Kapadia wrote. “Coleman appeared in 27 games over the past two seasons. He played better in 2019 than he did last year. Coleman is only 28 years old and has the talent to still be one of the league’s top slot corners.”
Draft impact
Cornerback is comfortably Miami’s best position. It has a good mix of talent and experience in Xavien Howard, Byron Jones and now Coleman and a sprinkle of youth in Noah Igbinoghene. Miami can now focus on improving other areas, including wide receiver, running back, linebacker and edge rusher in the draft.
2021 impact
Coleman will likely compete against Nik Needham in training camp to be the top slot cornerback. Miami’s secondary, led by Howard, consistently caused disruption and finished with a league-best 18 interceptions, but the Dolphins have struggled with defending slot receivers. Igbinoghene started in the slot at the beginning of the season but was quickly benched for Needham, who exerted plenty of effort, but his performance was less than desirable. According to Pro Football Focus, Needham graded out ninth to last in slot coverage.
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Cap update
Coleman is reportedly signing a one-year deal worth up to $2.75 million. Considering the relatively low cost, Coleman’s signing shouldn’t have a large effect on the Dolphins’ remaining cap space, which was at around $25 million on Tuesday night after they added quarterback Jacoby Brissett.
Outlook
Adding Coleman is a low-risk move that provides depth at a position of strength for Miami. Coleman felt comfortable returning to work for his former bosses and there’s potential he could win the top slot corner role and make a difference in Boyer’s scheme and coverage plans. Coleman also adds versatility on special teams and figures to be part of that unit, which was one of the best in the league last season.
(Photo: Rick Osentoski / Associated Press)