Dolphins place CBs Baker, Duck on active/PUP list

ESPN’s Adam Schefter did not include Johnson’s contract details while breaking the news. Johnson should start right away. The Dolphins fielded a fairly beatable secondary last season. New, defensive-minded head coach Jeff Hafley made Johnson his very first draft pick, which likely gives Johnson the inside track to a role on the perimeter.

Johnson will join a Miami secondary that struggled mightily through most of the 2025 season. Only four teams allowed a higher EPA per drop back than the Dolphins last season, and three teams gave up a higher adjusted yards per attempt. Johnson (6’0/193) is a high-end coverage artist whose elite 9.84 RAS (4.40 speed, 38” vertical) translates directly to sticky man/zone versatility and game-altering ball production. He allowed just 11 completions on 36 targets (30.6%) for 132 yards, pairing a masterful 6.8 passer rating allowed with a 33.3% forced incompletion rate and 0.41 yards per coverage snap. Johnson’s ball skills pop with 4 interceptions and 9 PBUs, including two defensive touchdowns, consistently converting tight-window contests into turnovers. While he can be out-muscled by bigger receivers and occasionally loses pace locating the ball downfield, his recovery burst and route anticipation mitigate those concerns. Johnson projects as an immediate starting-caliber outside corner in a multiple coverage scheme with Pro Bowl upside driven by elite ball production and athletic traits.

Baker spent the last two seasons with the Titans. Although tied for a team-high five pass breakups last year, he also allowed the most receiving yards (621) and receiving touchdowns (five). He recorded zero interceptions. Baker will likely compete for a starting role in Miami.

A huge loss for those of us who believe in the power of names. Duck played only 44 snaps over two games as he dealt with an oblique injury early in the season. The 2024 UDFA should have a role in the 2026 Dolphins DB room, although with mass leadership changes looking somewhat likely, perhaps things could change.

A balky knee has impeded Sneed’s play for much of the year. The 28-year-old perimeter cornerback is currently allowing 17.2 yards per reception, 5.3 more than his prior career-worst average. Adding a quad issue to the mix was only going to make things worse. Sneed will now miss at least four games and will be eligible to return in Week 13. The team’s bye occurs in Week 10. CB Darrell Baker Jr. is listed as his backup.

The 33-year-old tight end will try again next week. He remained limited through all three practices this week, which seemingly gives him decent odds of suiting up against the Jets in Week 4. The Dolphins’ injury-depleted secondary should allow the Bills to throw the ball efficiently, albeit in a likely run-heavy game script.

Wright is set to miss his second straight game due to a knee injury. He practiced in a limited fashion to end the week, but is still not ready to return to game speed, making Ollie Gordon the primary No. 2 running back for Week 2. Waller (hip) was ruled out earlier this week while Duck (ankle), Bonner (hamstring), and Jones (obique) will be missing for a defense that is already struggling.

Duck was at the bottom of a pile while making a tackle in the second quarter. He was able to hobble off the field before the cart took him the rest of the way into the locker room. The Dolphins’ secondary is incredibly banged up, so Duck was acting as one of their top corners. With him off the field, Rasul Douglas, who has only been with the team for a week, will step in as a boundary cornerback.

The Dolphins appear dead set on a split with No. 1 CB Jalen Ramsey, which would leave them with slot CB Kader Kohou as the only reliable starter at the position. The 30-year-old Douglas is no longer a high-impact perimeter starter, having produced a single-digit (6.5 percent) forced incompletion rate last year; the first time doing so since 2018. He would still likely be an upgrade over penciled-in perimeter starters, Storm Duck and Cam Smith. Should the team resolve their issues with Ramsey, and sign Douglas, they would suddenly have a decent starting trio on their hands.

A sixth-year senior, Baker (6'0/190) started 8-of-10 games in 2021, notching 32 tackles, two TFL, and a forced fumble. He comes with good size for a corner and knows how to use it. Whether it’s a strike off the initial press or disrupting a receiver’s route timing, he’s not afraid to get at you. He has a keen sense of reading routes in both man and zone, and it put him in a position to make a play to break up a play. Baker tested well with a 4.48 forty, 41.5-inch vertical and 11’4” broad jump. He could end up limited to special teams work but has the football IQ and speed to carve his way into a bigger role.