With Kendall Fuller, the Dolphins can do a little bit of everything in the secondary
Kendall Fuller was in the same recruiting class and NFL Draft class as Jalen Ramsey, but he doesn’t know a lot about the player he will likely line up opposite in the secondary for the 2024 season.
The two cornerbacks, though, have a shared attribute that could be a boon for a new-look Dolphins defense shaped by coordinator Anthony Weaver: versatility.
During the past few years, Fuller has been one of the better outside corners in the NFL. But he first made his mark in the league excelling as a nickel corner. The career arc is the opposite of Ramsey, who started as an elite cover corner outside before taking on a more multiple role in the slot.
With Miami on Monday officially signing Fuller, 29, to a two-year deal worth $15 million, the team has added the latest defensive back who could line up all over the field for the team next season.
The Dolphins quickly moved in the first wave of free agency to find a replacement for Xavien Howard, who was released last week. Miami found Fuller, an eight-year veteran who has 93 starts in his career. The first half of his career was spent as a slot corner in Washington, a role born out of necessity with Josh Norman and Bashaud Breeland established as veteran outside corners.
Although Fuller played well, he thought he was getting pigeonholed at some point.
“Any guy that kind of starts having success at the nickel position, a lot of people start putting limitations on them, saying that they can’t play outside,” Fuller said during an introductory news conference. “For me, I always loved corner and going into my contract year that year, my second contract, I wanted to move back outside. I felt like I had a lot to show, things that I can do and I could offer on the outside.”
Fuller was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs before the 2018 season and won a Super Bowl the following year at Hard Rock Stadium. He returned to Washington in 2020, and that’s when he began the transition back to outside corner, where he played at Virginia Tech. Ten of Fuller’s 16 career interceptions have come during his second stint with Washington during the past four seasons.
Fuller said it hasn’t been decided where he will play in Miami — he even has experience at safety — but his presence will give the Dolphins plenty of options in the secondary. Ramsey is one of the most versatile defensive backs in the NFL, and Weaver said he intends to lean into that skill set. Kader Kohou has logged snaps at both outside corner and nickel back. So has Nik Needham, who re-signed last week and can also play safety. Second-year player Cam Smith will compete for snaps at outside corner, too.
“I like to play a little bit everywhere,” Fuller said. “I think it adds more fun. Even having a guy like Jalen, I know Jalen has always moved around in his career and things like that. So I think genuinely there may be times to where you can see a number of different lineups, a number of people outside or inside and things like that. So like I said, I don’t have too much of a preference. I like to do both. And [like] I said, it’s fun when you can in a way dictate to the offense and give them different looks and different disguises and things like that.”
Returning to the venue of a top career achievement has also brought back nostalgic memories — and motivation.
“When I first pulled up and saw the stadium, it just brings back that excitement,” Fuller said. “I think the last game I played in here was [Super Bowl 54] so it just gives you that reminder and those feelings and that excitement. That’s something that everybody chases in the offseason, is to get to that game and win and hold up that trophy. So, I’m excited to meet everybody here and start that journey for that goal.”
