MIAMI GARDENS, Fla., July 26 (UPI) — New teammates Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard say the Miami Dolphins’ defense is filled with elite playmakers. The star cornerbacks also think their coming together can limit fatigue, increasing their already All-Pro productivity.
Ramsey and Howard made the comments when the team reported to training camp Tuesday at the Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens, Fla.
“I know what’s needed to play this defense and be one of the best defenses in the league and be elite,” Ramsey said. “And we got all the pieces — from edge rushers to the secondary.
“We even got the linebackers and all that. Like I said, I don’t compare, but I look at other teams I’ve been a part of and I feel like, on paper, we stack up well. But the work comes first.”
Ramsey, who joined the Dolphins in a March trade, is expected to add confidence, strength and versatility to a defense that allowed the sixth-most passing yards in the NFL last season.
The six-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time All-Pro was the third-highest rated cornerback in the NFL in 2022, according to Pro Football Focus. Ramsey, 28, was part of a Los Angeles Rams defense that allowed the fewest passing yards in 2020 and a member of their 2022 Super Bowl title team.
Part of the work the Dolphins must do this off-season involves meshing veterans, young players and new additions with recently hired defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
The veteran coach, widely respected for his defensive expertise, strategy and creativity, most frequently uses two deep coverage defenders.
That strategy — unlike the Dolphins’ previous habit of using one deep defender — focuses on limiting explosive plays and spreading around responsibility to multiple players.
“It’s a crazy amount of work that we’ve got to put in, but it’ll all pay off and then we’ve just got to play as one,” Ramsey said. “We’ve got to have unity as a defense and as a team. So those are all things that we’ll for sure work on during this training camp.”
Howard, 30, said he believes Fangio will put the Dolphins defenders in “great positions” to make plays throughout the 2023 season. Ramsey’s presence also could help Howard return to his status as an interception expert.
Howard, who led the NFL with 10 interceptions in 2020 and seven in 2018, logged just one in 15 starts last season.
“It’s going to open up some doors for me,” Howard said. “I feel like my game’s been my game. Intercepting the ball, that’s what I want to do. I want to get touchdowns and stuff like that.
“I feel like without playing as much man [coverage] like we did last year and me also traveling, playing, following a guy here and there, it’ll also help a lot.
“I won’t have to travel, be tired during the play. Some teams, I feel like in my career, when they found out I was following their best guy, they put me in motion a lot, get me tired before the rep, then do what they do. Just staying left and right man, I feel like it’s going to be easy, easy for me.”
The Dolphins will face the Atlanta Falcons in their preseason opener at 7 p.m. EDT Aug. 11 in Miami Gardens. They will battle the Los Angeles Chargers in their regular-season opener at 4:25 p.m. Sept. 10 in Inglewood, Calif.
