Dolphins free agent preview: What’s next for DB Eric Rowe
The Miami Dolphins have been extremely busy as the 2023 league year is approaching.
They’ve restructured the hefty contracts of Tyreek Hill, Terron Armstead and Bradley Chubb. They’ve told Tua Tagovailoa that they’re picking up his fifth-year option. Even Byron Jones found out his fate of being a post-June 1 cut.
With that said, the Dolphins still have 30 players set to hit free agency when the league year begins on March 15, including defensive back Eric Rowe.
Rowe, 30, followed Brian Flores to Miami back in 2019 and has played in South Florida on two different contracts since then. With the elevation of Jevon Holland and Brandon Jones, Rowe’s role became less impactful in recent seasons, but his versatility to play cornerback and safety really helped in 2022 when the onslaught of injuries came.
Prior to his time with the Dolphins, Rowe was originally a second-round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles out of Utah in 2015. He played only one season there before being traded to the New England Patriots where he worked with Flores.
This past season, Rowe played his fewest snaps since signing with Miami back in 2019, and he was even made a healthy scratch, causing a bit of a stir, at one point.
In Vic Fangio’s new defense, the Dolphins will likely rely heavily on safety play, making Rowe’s return not entirely improbable. However, there’s a good chance that they’ll want to continue getting younger at the position or pay a more impactful safety, like pending Buffalo Bills free agent Jordan Poyer.
It will all depend on the contract that Rowe’s looking for this offseason. If he’s going to have a $5 million cap hit each season, it’s probably not worth it. However, if he’s willing to come back for less, Miami may give him a shot.
