We got one! As fans of a team that typically competes to win the “off-season” championship, these last few days have been a bit of an adjustment for Dolphins fans. As the league is turned upside down by aggressive trades and record setting deals, Miami has stood their ground.
Willing to make offers but not over-pay, the Dolphins has seen Trey Flowers go a different direction (Detroit) and Ja’Wuan James head for greener pastures (Denver, and yes — pun intended).
But Miami will add a fresh face when the market opens this afternoon: veteran cornerback Eric Rowe. Rowe fits the model that the Dolphins are searching for in free agents this off-season.
For starters, he’s a young underachiever. At 26 years of age, Rowe is entering his physical prime. And, as a former top-50 selection by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015, Rowe has clear physical talent, just not talent that’s been able to shine on the field.
In being a young underachiever, Rowe is also cheap. He’ll sign today with the Dolphins on a 1-year deal with up to $3.5M. That dollar figure will negate Miami’s incurred free agent loss of Frank Gore in the NFL’s compensatory pick formula, but retain Miami’s big net losses of Ja’Wuan James and Cameron Wake.
And finally, Rowe fits because he’s a familiar face. After spending his rookie season in Philadelphia, Rowe has spent the last three in New England, working with coach Brian Flores.
Rowe can be expected to compete for the starting boundary cornerback job opposite Xavien Howard in 2019.
