After losing long-time Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard, the Dolphins’ secondary needed some help; signing Kendall Fuller and long-time division rival Jordan Poyer went a long way to add leadership and depth to help Jalen Ramsey and Jevon Holland.
The Dolphins also have 2023 second-round pick Cam Smith eagerly waiting to get on the field alongside Kader Kohou and Nik Needham, and second-year player Ethan Bonner. With new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, the Dolphin’s defensive scheme should rely even more on the secondary than it did before.
Yet there is a hole that needs to be filled to maintain as Weaver’s former defense, Baltimore, ran 48 percent of their snaps from a 3-3-5 (nickel) alignment, the second-most in the league.
The versatility of their defense, with guys like Kyle Hamilton, Marcus Williams, Gavin Stone, and Roquan Smith, enabled them to have two safeties deep and a lightbox without giving up too much in the running game. The man the Dolphins should go after to fill this role is 30-year-old Justin Simmons. Simmons, a 4-time second team all-pro, was released by the Broncos after not finding a trade partner and will turn 31 in November.
Simmons has yet to sign anywhere, but as a free agent, he has the choice to choose his best fit, and I expect it to be a Super Bowl contender with the money to pay him like the Dolphins. Simmons appears to have plenty left in the tank, coming off a 2023 season in which he had three interceptions (T11th among safeties), two forced fumbles, and 70 tackles in only 15 games.
Simmons is a sure tackler and a ball hawk with the most Interceptions since coming into the league in 2016 (30). (Five coming off Patrick Mahomes) Filling the ball-hawking skills of Xavien Howard is not easy.
Yet, Simmons’s ability to tackle, something the Dolphins have been known to struggle with, and his ability to create turnovers would add even more depth to an already talented defense. Simmons is a low-risk, high-reward signing, as he is always on the field, brings great energy and leadership, and creates turnovers.
Anthony Weaver should be extremely excited about this year’s defense’s versatility. Baltimore was easily a top-five defense this past season, and their utilization of three safeties is something that I look to see come to Miami Gardens with Anthony Weaver.
I believe Justin Simmons would be a fantastic addition to the Miami Dolphins. His talent, reliability, and leadership make him a perfect fit for bolstering their defense and taking this team to the next level.