The Miami Dolphins trading away future Hall of Fame cornerback Jalen Ramsey is as close to a certainty as humanly possible, which will remove the one high-end starter from a secondary that could very easily be called the worst in the entire NFL due to the lack of depth and quality.
Mike McDaniel is likely begging that one or two of the menagerie of undrafted free agents start to show that they can Voltron themselves together and form a competent replacement for Ramsey's talents. One such player appears to be emerging in the early stages of the team's ramp-up to the regular season.
Per Jim Ayello of The Athletic, the competition for the two starting outside cornerback roles alongside expected slot stud Kader Kohou is completely up in the air. Storm Duck, former second-round pick Cam Smith, and 2025 fifth-round rookie Jason Marshall Jr. all have a shot at earning this gig.
Most interestingly, Ayello mentions 2024 undrafted free agent Isaiah Johnson as a player who has performed well enough to have a dog in this race. Johnson has been one of the early stars of offseason workouts, and Miami could be hoping that he sustains this level of performance into the regular season.
Dolphins UDFA CB Isaiah Johnson could emerge as starter in 2025
Johnson was a team captain during his final season at Syracuse. In his senior year with the Orange, Johnson recorded 62 tackles, six pass breakups, and one interception. A 6-3 cornerback with tremendous length, Johnson may have one of the highest ceilings on the roster.
Duck and Smith seem like two cornerbacks who could start once the Ramsey trade is finalized, but their lack of success in the pros is so glaring that it should surprise no on eif they end up at the bottom of the depth chart. UDFA BJ Adams and free agent signign Kendall Sheffield have as strong of a claim to the CB1 job as anyone else.
Will Isaiah Johnson replace Jalen Ramsey?
Once the Ramsey trade is completed, Miami will wrap up an offseason in which they lost two high-end starters following Jevon Holland's departure in free agency. The Dolphins are trying to win in 2025, but this secondary is completely in a rebuilding mode.
Johnson emerging as a starter would be a wholly unexpected move for this Dolphins secondary, but if he can help replace a singular talent like Ramsey, Miami won't hold him back just because of his UDFA status.
