Dolphins Trade Igbinoghene for Cowboys Cornerback

Swapping Noah Igbinoghene for Kelvin Joseph in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys clears $788,000 in cap space for the Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins traded one of the team's disappointing early-round selections for one of the Dallas Cowboys' disappointing early-round selections.

Cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, a 2020 first-round pick who had started five games during his three seasons, was traded for Cowboys cornerback Kelvin Joseph.

Joseph, who played collegiately at LSU and Kentucky, was taken in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft. But he struggled in his two seasons with the Cowboys.

Joseph, who has started three of the 26 games he's played, has contributed 36 tackles, forced and recovered a fumble in the 330 defensive snaps he's played.

However, he's been a strong core special teams contributor for the Cowboys, logging 459 snaps on special teams over the past two seasons.

Joseph likely was going to be cut by the Cowboys, and the Dolphins were in desperate need of special teams help, especially at the gunner spot, which is a role Joseph has filled in his NFL career.

IGBINOGHENE LOST OUT IN STARTING BID

Igbinoghene competed for the starting spot opposite Xavien Howard in nickel situations, but didn't distinguish himself from veteran Eli Apple, who was added after Jalen Ramsey suffered a knee injury that likely will sideline him until December, and Cam Smith, the Dolphins' 2023 second-round pick. 

Joseph will earn $1.37 million in base salary this season, and is slotted to earn $1.72 million in 2024.

Igbinoghene was due $2.14 million, and $1.6 million of that salary was guaranteed. Swapping him for Joseph creates $788,000 in cap savings.

Joseph vowed to put his wish for a rap career aside to focus on football when the Cowboys drafted him, but the behavioral issues that haunted in college surfaced again when he was at least peripherally involved in a murder case once arriving in Dallas. 

He had never been much of a special-teams player before late last year, when he impressed coaches with his development there. 

Joseph, 23, has started just three games in two seasons, and was even benched last year during a Week 15 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

This came shortly after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called out Joseph specifically in December, saying it's time for him to step up. "It's time for him to become a man," Jones told 105.3 The Fan.

"Accept a higher level of responsibility. He’s got more people depending on him. It’s time for some of the side stuff to ease its way out of his life." Jones' comments were about Joseph's off-field behavior.