Dolphins Position Outlook: Safeties

Established veterans bring a new look to the secondary

Miami Dolphins safety Jordan Poyer (21) during mandatory minicamp at the Baptist Health Training Complex / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

After making the playoffs for a second straight season under coach Mike McDaniel, the Miami Dolphins are still looking for their first playoff win since 2000. The quest for that victory starts with training camp.

The Dolphins had a surprisingly eventful offseason for a team that started with so little cap space. The team lost homegrown talents like Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt but added exciting veterans like Odell Beckham Jr., Kendall Fuller, Calais Campbell and Jordyn Brooks.

This series will break down each position on the Dolphins’ roster, providing fans with an in-depth look at each player’s outlook for the coming 2024 season.

This article will cover the safeties.

DOLPHINS SAFETY OUTLOOKS

Jevon Holland

2023 Stats: 74 tackles, 1 interception, 4 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles

2024 Outlook: Holland didn’t quite take the massive leap some were expecting last season, but there’s no denying he’s still an excellent starting safety.

Holland should stick to his normal role of playing in the deep parts of the field this season. That said, defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is coming from a Ravens system that likes to move its safeties around a good bit.

Jordan Poyer

2023 (Bills): 101 tackles, 4 passes defended, 1 forced fumble

2024 Outlook: Poyer signed with the Dolphins after a long, decorated career with the rival Buffalo Bills. He’s expected to be the team’s starting strong safety, opposite Holland in 2024.

Poyer is older, and it’s clear he’s not as fast as he used to be. However, he’s still a sound run defender, an excellent communicator, and an average coverage option. All Miami needs from Poyer is consistency this season. 

Marcus Maye

2023 Stats (Saints): 37 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 passes defended, 1 sack

2024 Outlook: Maye is another veteran free agent addition to the Dolphins’ safety room. New Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver saw how impactful a solid third safety could be with Baltimore last season, and that’ll likely be Maye’s role in 2024.

Maye does his best work in the box, where he can use his physicality to make plays against the run. He’s not someone who should be asked to do much coverage work. Still, there’s a place for him to be an impact player this year.

Elijah Campbell

2023 Stats: 15 tackles, 1 pass defended

2024 Outlook: Campbell is the perfect backup secondary player. He can play safety and cornerback and be a high-level contributor on special teams.

If things go well, Campbell shouldn’t play many defensive snaps this season, but he’s capable enough if forced into action.

Patrick McMorris

2023 Stats (college): 88  tackles, 1 interception, 7 passes defended

2024 Outlook: The Dolphins selected McMorris in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft. He projects best as a depth safety who will need to make an impact on special teams to make the 53-man roster.

Jordan Colbert

2023 Stats: 41 tackles, 3 passes defended, 2 interceptions

2024 Outlook: Colbert was signed as a UDFA out of Rhode Island this offseason. He’s likely vying for reps on special teams and a place on the team’s practice squad.

Mark Perry

2023 Stats (college): 58 tackles, 4 passes defended

2024 Outlook: Perry is another UDFA from the 2024 class. Like Colbert and McMorris, Perry’s path to the roster will likely come via special teams and the practice squad.

DOLPHINS SAFETY SUPERLATIVES

Best Man Coverage: Jevon Holland

Best Zone Coverage: Jevon Holland

Best Run Defender: Jordan Poyer

Best Blitzer: Marcus Maye

Best Ball Skills: Jevon Holland

MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR DOLPHINS SAFETIES

How reliable is everyone besides Holland?

Jevon Holland is a good, young safety. He can play all over the defense and is especially valuable because his best spot is in deep zones — the hardest safety prototype to find.

Miami has nothing to worry about there, but the rest of its safety room has some legitimate question marks. Poyer is 33 years old, and his film shows a player who has slowed down. He wasn’t quite as explosive last season, and the Bills clearly thought they were better off going with a younger option in 2024.

That said, Poyer still has plenty of good traits. He’s an intelligent player, especially against the run, which will support Holland’s skill set quite well. While he’s not what he used to be in coverage, he should hold up well enough.

Maye is another quality run defender, but he’s struggled to stay on the field in recent seasons. He hasn’t played in more than 10 games since 2020, and he missed the first three games of this past season after violating the league’s substance abuse policy, stemming from a 2021 DUI arrest.

When on the field, Maye’s skills have also declined. He’s no longer a reliable option in coverage, essentially making him a pseudo linebacker. That’s fine for his projected role as the team’s third safety, but one injury throws a wrench in that plan.

Behind Maye and Poyer stands Campbell — a primary special teams player — and a collection of late-round draft picks and UDFAs.

The Dolphins are putting a lot of faith in Maye and, especially, Poyer to support Holland. If the Dolphins want to maximize their safeties like the Ravens did last season, Poyer and Maye will have to be better than last year.

Contending teams have to rely on aging veterans at certain positions. Not every spot can be filled with an ascending, young player. Poyer and Maye are good scheme fits, and although they’ve regressed some, their play hasn’t fallen off a cliff.

The Dolphins will need that to continue in 2024 to have an above-average secondary.