The Miami Dolphins have a new addition after rookie minicamp, signing former Jets cornerback Kendall Sheffield on Monday. Just don't get too excited. If this is Chris Grier's best answer to his team's cornerback crisis...yikes.
Sheffield most recently played for New York, appearing in just six games. He had nine tackles and was one of the Jets' worst-rated defenders, according to Pro Football Focus.
As Barry Jackson put it: "No, he cannot be [Kendall] Fuller or [Jalen] Ramsey successors."
New Dolphins CB Kendall Sheffield hasn't started a game since 2020. Six appearances for Jets last year. Played 53, 22 and 92 snaps on defense last 3 years. So, no, he cannot be Fuller or Ramsey successors.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) May 12, 2025
Dolphins sign Kendall Sheffield for veteran depth...hopefully
So what use does Sheffield bring? He's a camp body at worst. Most importantly, he's had even a little bit of starting experience in the NFL. A Falcons fourth-round draft pick in 2019, he started 20 games in his first two seasons in the league. That's eight more than the corners currently on Miami's roster combined.
Needless to say, the Dolphins are extremely short on corners and they're even shorter on experience.. Jalen Ramsey is destined for a trade. That leaves Kader Kohou, Storm Duck, Cam Smith and Ethan Bonner as returning players at the position. They also have Isaiah Johnson on a futures contract. Kohou played 708 defensive snaps last year. Duck (358), Smith (133) and Bonner (16) combined for 507 defensive snaps.
Grier hasn't shown much urgency in addressing the position. Miami did use a draft pick on a cornerback in the draft, but that was in the fifth round on Florida's Jason Marshall Jr.
Marshall looks the part at 6-foot, 195 pounds. But he's more of a developmental prospect than a Day 1 starter. In his pre-draft evaluation, Lance Zierlein projected him as a back up or special teamer whose measurables look better than his tape.
So let's be realistic here: Sheffield shouldn't be a significant signing for the Dolphins. The state of the cornerback room could make him one anyway. Miami is banking on too many what-ifs to make any assumptions right now.