The former third-round pick joined the Miami Dolphins after splitting eight seasons between Washington and Kansas City.
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The Miami Dolphins entered the offseason needing to pinch pennies and nobody expected general manager Chris Grier to make a splash for one of the best cornerbacks available. Kendall Fuller signed a two-year deal in South Florida after splitting the last eight seasons between the Washington Commanders and Kansas City Chiefs.
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Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images
The former third-round pick won a Super Bowl as a slot cornerback in Kansas City but spent most of the last four seasons as a boundary cornerback. That said, PFF ranked him as the third-best cornerback available in free agency due to his ability to play out wide, in the slot, and even at safety.
“I mean all of us are flexible guys that play multiple positions,” Fuller said of Miami’s group of cornerbacks. “So whatever the coaches want to do, wherever they’re looking, whatever they’re thinking is where any of us go.”
Fuller, 29. arrives in Miami at the same time as defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, who spent the last three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. Weaver joins the Dolphins after working under Mike MacDonald, who earned the Seattle Seahawks head coaching job for his work as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator, orchestrating a unit prided on versatility.
“[Coach Weaver] just wants guys that are going to fly around, especially right now,” Fuller said. “Everybody – we’re all learning a new system, there’s going to be some mistakes.
“But just guys going out there, playing fast, playing physical and the more we go on, the more we’ll start executing more and more. But we’ve been looking good, flying around. So it’s been fun to watch.”
Fuller played 1,896 snaps out wide compared to just 45 snaps in the slot while starting 32 games over the last two seasons. He snagged two interceptions and registered two tackles for a loss in 2023. Opposing quarterbacks completed 49 of 73 attempts for 488 yards when targetting him in coverage, according to PFF.
Fellow cornerback Jalen Ramsey played 533 of his 585 total snaps last season on the boundary, something he isn’t expecting to do with Weaver calling the shots. With Ramsey roaming around the secondary, Kader Kohou better at slot cornerback, and Nik Needham taking practice snaps at safety, Fuller may be Miami’s best option out wide.
“You got to learn what you can do different techniques that you may have to how it fits in with the system and what you’re being asked to do,” Fuller said. “So you learn that as you’re out there and while you’re out there on the field – that’s what this is for.
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Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
“That’s what you do in training camp and in practice and what you practice for, to see what works and see what doesn’t work.”
While the presentation remains a mystery, Fuller and Ramsey are projected to be Miami’s starting duo.
“Me and Jalen both came into the league the same time, played with some players, shared some of the same coaches,” Fuller said. “So just laughing and talking about some of that and things like that.
“It’s going to be fun just to get to know everybody, not just players but staff members, equipment staff, everything like that.”