All Dolphins

Kohou Tops List of Non-UFA Dolphins Free Agents

Alain Poupart

Miami Dolphins cornerback Kader Kohou (4) runs with the ball after intercepting a pass from San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13, not pictured) during second half at Hard Rock Stadium.
Miami Dolphins cornerback Kader Kohou (4) runs with the ball after intercepting a pass from San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13, not pictured) during second half at Hard Rock Stadium. / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
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Along with 26 unrestricted free agents they're scheduled to have when the 2025 league year kicks off March 12, the Miami Dolphins will have another group of free agents. They are the restricted free agents and the exclusive-rights free agents.

The biggest name among those six players is cornerback Kader Kohou.

Before we examine the six players, though, let's explain the two categories. Restricted free agents are players who can sign offer sheets with other teams but the Dolphins can match any offer if they extended a qualifying tender.

There are three types of tenders, and though the final tender amounts have yet to be finalized, it would look something like this:

-- Based on overthecap.com, a first-round tender would guarantee the player at 2025 salary of $7.3 million and make the compensation a first-round pick

-- A second-round tender would be worth about $5.2 million

-- A right of first refusal tender would guarantee a player $3.2 million but not provide any compensation, only the right to match

The Dolphins don't have to extend qualifying tenders to any of their restricted free agents and still could re-sign them, but they also could sign with another team with Miami having no right to match.

In 2024, the Dolphins had two pending RFAs, but they ended up re-signing both Robert Jones and Elijah Campbell before the start of the league year.

With exclusive-rights free agents, all the Dolphins have to do is make an offer for the minimum salary and the player can't negotiate with any other team. This basically means the player will be back at or close to the minimum salary if the Dolphins want him back.

So let's break down those six non-UFA free agents, broken up equally among restricted free agents (RFAs) and exclusive-rights free agents (ERFAs).

RELATED CONTENT: Early forecast for Dolphins pending UFAs

THE DOLPHINS' PENDING RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

CB Kader Kohou — Kohou is coming off a very nice 2024 season for the Dolphins, highlighted by his clutch interception in the December victory against the San Francisco 49ers. Because of Kendall Fuller's contract, age and 2024 injuries, plus the lack of other proven alternatives, Kohou is somebody the Dolphins really need to bring back. Unless the two sides negotiate a low-term deal, a second-round tender would seem to make sense here.

LB Quinton Bell — While defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver often praised Bell last season, the Dolphins have a lot of options at the edge defender spot, so there's no reason to commit any kind of significant amount of money and cap space for Bell. His salary for 2024 was $985,000 and the best guess is the Dolphins don't make a qualifying tender.

WR Anthony Schwartz — Schwartz spent the 2024 season on IR, he's still an unproven commodity as an NFL wide receiver and the Dolphins already have young options at the position, so there's zero reason to extend a tender.

THE DOLPHINS' PENDING EXCLUSIVE-RIGHTS FREE AGENTS

T Kion Smith — After Smith spent the 2024 season on IR, GM Chris Grier said teams had called during training camp about making a trade for him. The Dolphins have invested some time in Smith already, so it seems a slam dunk he'll get another look.

EDGE Cameron Goode — After he missed most of the 2024 season while recovering from his severe knee injury, it's difficult to envision the Dolphins not wanting to give him another look.

WR Grant DuBose — Make it 3-for-3 on ERFAs. The Dolphins claimed him off waivers from Green Bay last year because they obviously saw something in him, and we can't imagine that's changed after he was limited to only three games because of a shoulder injury and later the scary concussion he sustained at Houston in Week 15 after his return to the lineup.

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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