Grading the Miami Dolphins safeties after their 2022 season
The Miami Dolphins had a rollercoaster of a 2022 season that resulted in another 9-8 record, their third straight winning season. However, this time, it was enough to grant them access to the postseason.
While the team has probably finished their assessments of the year and moved on to the planning phase of their offseason schedule, we still have some evaluations to do.
At this point, we’ll continue to look through the Dolphins roster and break down the position groups, reviewing how they performed in their first season under head coach Mike McDaniel.
We’ve already hit on the:
Today, we’ll look at the safeties.
Jevon Holland: A-
(Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
The second-year defensive back out of Oregon has really carved out a role for himself as the most consistent player on Miami’s defense. In 2022, he played the most snaps of anyone on that side of the ball, finishing the season with 96 tackles, seven passes defended, two interceptions, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Holland has limitless potential and has shown that often in just two years in South Florida.
Brandon Jones: B-
(AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
The Dolphins, under Josh Boyer’s defensive leadership, clearly had a role in mind for Jones, and that was to continue using him to blitz. Through seven games, he recorded 49 tackles, three passes defended, two sacks and one forced fumble. However, a torn ACL cut his season short.
There’s still room for growth in Jones’ game. It would be nice to see him improve in coverage against tight ends and running backs. He’s still young, and Vic Fangio taking over could make things easier on him, as he attempts to come back healthy.
Eric Rowe: B-
(Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Rowe entered the season as the third safety behind Jones and Holland, but Jones’ injury, coupled with Rowe’s versatility to help out at cornerback, got him on the field more than most depth players.
The 30-year-old played 569 defensive snaps, his fewest since 2018 when he played in only four games due to a groin injury.
He did a decent job filling in for Jones, as he recorded the first two sacks of his career along with two forced fumbles.
Verone McKinley III: C-
(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
For an undrafted free agent to come up and make an impact at all is impressive. McKinley was originally elevated from the practice squad before being signed to an active roster contract due to injuries in the secondary.
He got defensive opportunities over guys like Clayton Fejedelem who have much more experience than he does.
Obviously, he has a lot of coaching to take before he earns legitimate reps, but he showed competence on a defense that could really use it. He, like Jones, could also benefit from Fangio’s experience and leadership.
