Dolphins Face Tough Decision on Veteran CB Rasul Douglas

The 31-year-old cornerback with 93 career starts is set to hit free agency.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The Miami Dolphins have a big decision to make on veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas, who is set to become a free agent this offseason. Douglas played a significant role for the Dolphins in 2025, starting 15 games and recording 62 tackles, 13 pass deflections, 2 interceptions, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble. With a thin cornerback depth chart, the Dolphins may need to bring back Douglas, but will have to weigh his potential cost against other free agent and draft options.

Why it matters

The Dolphins' secondary was a major weakness in 2025, and they need to address the cornerback position this offseason. Douglas provides valuable experience and production, but re-signing him could limit their ability to add younger, cheaper options through free agency or the draft.

The details

Douglas, 31, has bounced around the NFL since being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017, with stints on 8 different teams. He signed a one-year, $1.57 million deal with the Dolphins last offseason and played 79.4% of the team's defensive snaps in 2025. The Dolphins' internal options to replace Douglas include several young, unproven players, while some of the top free agent cornerbacks set to hit the market include Nahshon Wright, Alontae Taylor, and Eric Stokes. Spotrac projects Douglas will command a one-year, $4.02 million contract in free agency.

  • Douglas signed with the Dolphins in 2025 offseason.
  • Douglas played 15 games for the Dolphins in 2025 season.
  • The 2026 NFL free agency period begins next week.

The players

Rasul Douglas

A 31-year-old veteran cornerback who has started 93 games in his NFL career, including 15 for the Dolphins in 2025.

Storm Duck

A young cornerback on the Dolphins' roster who could be an internal option to replace Douglas.

Nahshon Wright

A free agent cornerback who could be a target for the Dolphins if they don't re-sign Douglas.

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What’s next

The Dolphins will need to decide whether to re-sign Douglas or look to add younger, cheaper options at cornerback through free agency and the draft.

The takeaway

The Dolphins face a difficult decision on veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas, who provided solid production in 2025 but may be too expensive to retain given the team's limited cap space. Their choice will impact the direction of their secondary rebuild this offseason.