Hindsight is 20/20, and quite necessary to put the Miami Dolphins’ defensive backs situation in context ahead of the 2021 NFL draft.
Star cornerback Xavien Howard led the NFL with 10 interceptions last season, in a year where he recovered from a knee injury he deemed was “worse than an ACL.”
Before Howard turned in the best season of his career, the Dolphins made contingency plans, signing cornerback Byron Jones to a five-year, $82.5 million deal and drafting cornerback Noah Igbinoghene with the last of three first round picks in the 2020 NFL draft.
It could be easy to criticize the Dolphins for making both moves — whether Jones’ contract was too rich or drafting Igbinoghene instead of another position player after he didn’t play much as a rookie.