Dolphins still an option for ex-Patriots star Ryan
The Miami Dolphins reportedly remain in play for veteran cornerback Logan Ryan — one of the top free agents still available — despite already having the two highest-paid players at his position.
While the New York Daily News is reporting that the New York Jets are favored to sign Ryan, the Dolphins remain in the mix for his services, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.
A two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots, Ryan played the last three seasons with the Tennessee Titans after spending the first four years of his career with the Patriots.
If he signs with Miami, he would be reunited with Dolphins coach Brian Flores. Flores was New England’s safeties coach during Ryan’s first three seasons before he became linebackers coach in 2016 — Ryan’s final season with the Patriots. Flores has filled his Dolphins roster with several former Patriots players — 11 to be exact.
Ryan is coming off his best season and played a key role in Tennessee’s surprising run to the AFC championship game. He started all 16 games and had a career-high 18 pass breakups (third most in NFL), 41⁄2 sacks, four interceptions, four forced fumbles and 113 tackles. His defining moment was when he had a pick-six — the final pass of Tom Brady’s Patriots career — to seal Tennessee’s 21-13 playoff win over New England.
He has 17 career interceptions and 78 pass breakups in 109 career games.
The versatile defensive back could be moved to safety if signed by the Dolphins, who already have the two highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL. They recently extended Xavien Howard’s contract (five years, $76.5 million with $46 million guaranteed) and signed Dallas Cowboys free agent Byron Jones to a five-year, $82.5 million deal, which includes $57 million guaranteed. Howard will make $15 million, while Jones will earn roughly $16.5 million.
The Dolphins also took Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene in the first round of last month’s draft.
Ryan, a 2013 third-round pick from Rutgers, became a free agent after the Titans decided not to bring him back for the 2020 season at his asking price of around $10 million.
“It’s just a business,” Ryan said on Devin and Jason McCourty’s “Double Coverage” podcast over the weekend. “Tennessee never really offered me a contract. They never really talked extension or free agency. They never really tried to bring me back.”
Ryan, 29, is seeking a similar deal he signed with Tennessee last offseason.
“I said, ‘Hey, look, I’m willing to come back and work with the team with a one-year deal to earn the right for an extension or earn the right to go back to free agency next year and I just want my salary what I made last year,’” he said. “I think anybody who plays really well in a contract year wants a raise. You play really well on a contract year, you’re going to get paid, right? So I said, ‘Look, I’ll come back at the same rate. I want to keep this thing going,’ but they weren’t really interested in that.”