Safety Malik Hooker visits with Dolphins

by **JMP** Tue May 04, 2021 8:01 pm

https://www.si.com/nfl/dolphins/news/miami-dolphins-bring-in-former-first-round-pick-for-free-agent-visit

Alain Poupart wrote:The team hosted former Colts safety Malik Hooker on a free agent visit Tuesday, according to NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport.

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Hooker certainly is an intriguing player, having been selected 15th overall in the 2017 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts after a stellar career at Ohio State.

Injuries unfortunately have been the biggest story of Hooker's career so far. He missed the final nine games of his rookie season in 2017 and, after playing 27 games over the next two seasons, missed all but two games last year because of a torn Achilles.

Hooker has seven interceptions in his career, including three in those seven games in 2017.

The visit certainly is interesting considering the Dolphins selected safety Jevon Holland in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, one year after taking safety Brandon Jones in Round 3, not to mention the presence of veterans Eric Rowe and Bobby McCain on the roster.

As we discussed earlier, though, Rowe and McCain have been mentioned as potential cap casualties, a notion the recent moves certainly aren't about to eliminate. The Dolphins would save $5.6 million of the the $7.1 million cap charge on McCain by cutting, according to overthecap.com, and would save $5 million of a $6 million cap charge on Rowe.

Given Hooker's injury history, which came after the Colts had declined to pick up his fifth-year option, it certainly figures that if he signed anywhere, it'll be some kind of prove-it deal.

It's also worth nothing that teams now can sign unrestricted free agents without affecting their compensatory pick for 2022.

On that topic, the Dolphins currently are scheduled to receive a fifth-round selection as compensation for losing Davon Godchaux to the New England Patriots, again per overthecap.com.

Wow! This tells me that Flores still hasn't gotten over the whipping the Bills gave his defense in week 17. Adding Coleman, Holland and potentially Hooker is a total reshaping of the heart of the pass defense.

Hooker, when healthy, is arguably the best free safety in the NFL. Problem is, he's rarely healthy - having missed approximately half of his NFL career with injuries. Doesn't hurt to sign him to a "prove it" deal and see what he can do. He's an immensely talented player, and he's still young. If he signs, the battles in the secondary are going to be epic this summer!