Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Secondary adds XFL interception leader
The Miami Dolphins continued to supplement their secondary — which may be forced to begin the season without cornerback Xavien Howard — by signing former XFL standout Deatrick Nichols on Thursday.
The Miami native and former University of South Florida standout spent one season with the Arizona Cardinals before joining the Houston Roughnecks, where he led the now-defunct league with three interceptions. Nichols also had 24 tackles and one sack in five games, helping Houston to a 5-0 record.
He was widely regarded as one of the top XFL prospects and had multiple offers to sign with an NFL team when the league canceled the season in late March due to COVID-19 concerns. Nichols, who played cornerback and safety throughout his career, signed with the New Orleans Saints but was released in early August shortly after training camp started.
The Dolphins on Thursday also waived safety Steven Parker, who started four of the 14 games he played in last season and had 19 tackles and two interceptions, and rookie Byrce Sterk, a college linebacker at Montana State who was trying to convert to a tight end.
Nichols became the second Dolphins’ defensive back added — and fourth newcomer — to the team this week.
On Wednesday, the Dolphins signed defensive tackle Brandin Bryant, who played at Florida Atlantic, and were awarded cornerback Breon Borders off waivers from Pittsburgh.
The Dolphins also claimed former Iowa tight end Nate Wieting on Monday after he was waived by the Cleveland Browns over the weekend. Wieting’s addition made him the second tight end added since training camp started. The Dolphins also traded a conditional late-round pick for Adam Shaheen, giving them five tight ends on their training camp roster.
Borders, who played at Duke, played in one game for the Washington football team and 11 games with one start for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season. He had seven tackles (six solo) and one fumble recovery with the Jaguars.
Borders has also had previous stints with the Oakland Raiders in 2017, the Buffalo Bills from 2017-18 and Houston Texans and Jacksonville in 2018.
Nichols, Borders and Picasso Nelson Jr. are the three defensive backs who have been added to the roster this month.
Nichols spent most of his rookie season on the Cardinals practice squad, but was signed to the 53-man roster late in the season and played sparingly in two games, working exclusively on special teams.
Nichols and Border will be competing with Nelson Jr., Noah Igbinoghene, one of the team’s three first-round picks, Nik Needham, Nate Brooks, Ken Webster, Jamal Perry and Trae Hayes for one of cornerback spots behind Howard and Byron Jones.
Parker’s release thins out what was a crowded safety position, which features Bobby McCain and Eric Rowe as the projected starters and Adrian Colbert, Clayton Fejedelem, Kavon Frazier and rookie Brandon Jones competing for roles.