The Miami Dolphins have a new defensive coordinator who plans to utilize Jalen Ramsey differently than the way his predecessor used the star cornerback last season. Anthony Weaver, hired to coach the Dolphins' defense after spending three seasons as the Baltimore Ravens' defensive line coach (and two as an assistant head coach), wants to move Ramsey around more often than Vic Fangio did a year ago.
"You talk about prototype corners, [Ramsey] is that," Weaver said, via the Dolphins' official transcript of his press conference. "Size, length, speed, competitiveness. The thing about him is I think he is your ultimate chess piece. So to have him just sit outside and be a field corner or boundary corner or something like that is a detriment to him. We got to find ways to move him around where he can be most impactful. We're committed to doing that."
Last season under Fangio, Ramsey almost exclusively played right cornerback. After returning from injury, Ramsey aligned on the right side on 83% of his snaps, per Pro Football Focus. That was the highest single-season rate he's had at any secondary position, and the first time he had topped 50% since his first season with the Los Angeles Rams.
During his time in L.A., he moved around much more often, and did so under three different defensive coordinators.
| Year | Team | Def. Coordinator | % LCB | % RCB | % Slot | % Box |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | MIA | Vic Fangio | 8% | 83% | 2% | 6% |
| 2022 | LAR | Raheem Morris | 29% | 40% | 20% | 11% |
| 2021 | LAR | Raheem Morris | 28% | 26% | 33% | 13% |
| 2020 | LAR | Brandon Staley | 40% | 35% | 18% | 7% |
| 2019 | JAC/LAR | Todd Wash/Wade Phillips | 50% | 34% | 10% | 6% |
| 2018 | JAC | Todd Wash | 58% | 30% | 7% | 5% |
| 2017 | JAC | Todd Wash | 72% | 16% | 7% | 6% |
| 2016 | JAC | Todd Wash | 44% | 36% | 12% | 8% |
Miami can use Ramsey all over the place if it so chooses, especially because it has more versatile pieces on the back end. Safety Jevon Holland can move around the formation as well, and the ability to use him and Ramsey in different spots at different times should allow Weaver to change up his defensive looks more often.
Ramsey is an excellent cover corner, and one of the best perimeter corners in the NFL last season. But like Weaver said, he has more to offer than just being that type of player, and it's good that the new DC wants to tap into that part of his skill set.
