The Miami Dolphins have 29 players who are expected to hit free agency in March, including a safety who came back from a torn ACL in 2022 – Brandon Jones.
Jones, 25, was selected by the Dolphins in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft following a collegiate career at Texas that included a Second-team All-Big 12 season in his final year.
The former Longhorn was eased into playing time as a professional, playing just 37% of the team’s defensive snaps as a rookie. However, he took on a much bigger role in 2021 (57.3% of the snaps) and 2022 (76%) before suffering a torn ACL in the Sunday night battle against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Prior to the injury, Jones was lauded for his impressive pass-rushing ability from the secondary, as he recorded 10 quarterback hits and five sacks in 2021 and another two sacks in 2022.
Jones returned to action for the start of 2023, but he was used much less on defense, dropping to just 41.9% of the team’s defensive snaps and playing more on special teams (47.8% – a career-high).
Still, Pro Football Focus ranked Jones as the 16th-best safety in the NFL in 2023.
Over a full year removed from the injury, Jones is set to hit the market, but he probably won’t be someone who will break the bank for the Dolphins or any other team that’s looking to sign him for 2024 and beyond. He could probably be retained for $2-4 million per year, which is extremely reasonable, even in Miami’s current cap situation.
With DeShon Elliott, Jones’ college teammate, also hitting free agency, the Dolphins only have Jevon Holland on the roster at the position. This might make them more willing to keep one or both of their guys around, especially if there are changes elsewhere in the secondary.
