Kohou's Return Becoming Official Soon?

Miami Dolphins CB Kader Kohou says he's planning on signing his restricted free agent tender before long

Miami Dolphins cornerback Kader Kohou (4) celebrates following an interception against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Lumen Field in Week 3 of the 2024 season. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Not that there should be have been much doubt in the first place, but it's a matter of time now before Kader Kohou officially is back with the Miami Dolphins.

Kohou said on the Dive Bar Podcast on Tuesday night he was "getting ready" to sign his restricted free agent qualifying offer soon, which would give him a one-year contract for $3.3 million.

Barring an extension, Kohou then would be on track to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.

As it stands right now, Kohou is a restricted free agent. The Dolphins placed a Right of First Refusal (ROFR) tender on Kohou, giving them the right to match before the April 18 deadline for offer sheets.

Offer sheets to RFAs aren't that common in the NFL — though the New England Patriots just matched an offer from the Las Vegas Raiders for LB Christian Elliss — so the likelihood of Kohou joining another team always seemed very small once the tender was extended.

And that's just fine with Kohou, who made that clear on the podcast.

"I love Miami," Kohou said. "It was the first team that I came into the league with. I like all the coaches, some of my teammates, even though some of them are gone now. But I feel like Miami is a place where I could kind of like grow as a player with people around me that believe in me. So yeah, I would love to stay in Miami for sure my whole career."

THE DOLPHINS' NON-UFA BREAKDOWN

Kohou was one of the Dolphins' three restricted free agents this offseason along with linebacker Quinton Bell and wide receiver Anthony Schwartz, but they declined to extend a qualifying offer to the latter two, making them unrestricted free agents.

The Dolphins re-signed Bell, while Schwartz is still looking for a team for 2025.

The Dolphins also had three players who were exclusive-rights free agents and tendered two of them — linebacker Cameron Goode and tackle Kion Smith — while letting wide receiver Grant DuBose become an unrestricted free agent.

DOLPHINS 2025 FREE AGENT SCORECARD

as of Wednesday, March 26, 11:00 AM EDT

NEWCOMERS SIGNED: 12

• QB Zach Wilson (Denver)
• G James Daniels (Pittsburgh)
• OL Larry Borom (Chicago)
• S Ifeatu Melifonwu (Detroit)
• WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (Tennessee)
• S Ashtyn Davis (N.Y. Jets)
• LB K.J. Britt (Tampa Bay)
• RB Alexander Mattison (Las Vegas)
• TE Pharaoh Brown (Seattle)
• P Ryan Stonehouse (Tennessee)
• CB Artie Burns (Seattle)
• LB Willie Gay, Jr. (New Orleans)

RE-SIGNED: 8

• DT Matt Dickerson
• S Elijah Campbell
• OLB Quinton Bell
• LB Tyrel Dodson
• G/T Jackson Carman
• WR Dee Eskridge
• OL Liam Eichenberg
• DT Benito Jones

LOST TO ANOTHER TEAM: 9

• WR Braxton Berrios (Houston)
• G Robert Jones (Dallas)
• S Jevon Holland (N.Y. Giants)
• TE Jack Stoll (New Orleans)
• LB Anthony Walker, Jr. (Tampa Bay)
• DT Da'Shawn Hand (L.A. Chargers)
• CB Siran Neal (San Francisco)
• WR River Cracraft (Seattle)
• T Kendall Lamm (Philadelphia)

REMAINING UFAS: 12

• QB Tyler Huntley
• RB Jeff Wilson, Jr.
• WR Anthony Schwartz
• WR Grant DuBose
• G Isaiah Wynn
• DT Calais Campbell
• EDGE Emmanuel Ogbah
• EDGE Tyus Bowser
• EDGE Cam Brown
• LB Duke Riley
• S Jordan Poyer
• LS Jake McQuaide

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