The Miami Dolphins are in need of a boundary cornerback opposite Xavien Howard. The Houston Texans just cut former 1st-round pick Kevin Johnson. Johnson, the team’s first pick of the 2015 NFL Draft, has struggled with injuries but is now free to sign with whomever, whenever.
Johnson, who hasn’t played in 16 games since his rookie season, has logged one interception and 14 passes defensed in 35 career games.
The Dolphins, a team who is looking for young talent with a chip on their shoulder, should definitely come calling on Johnson, right? Well, not exactly.
Johnson, a player with a 1st-round pedigree, is almost certainly going to warrant a handsome group of suitors. As a matter for fact, he’s already reportedly aligned for a free agent meeting with the Cleveland Browns.
With high interest comes…high cost. The Dolphins can’t afford to be getting into bidding wars on injury prone, physically soft cornerbacks as they look to establish the foundation of their roster.
In a different set of circumstances, yes. The Dolphins could absolutely kick the tires on Johnson and perhaps even extend a competitive offer. But this off-season, despite the need at corner, needs to be invested on players with a little bit less cost and a little bit more reliability.
Even if that means it comes with a little bit less talent, too.
