Omar Kelly: Dolphins newcomers reek of desperation, and maybe hunger

MIAMI — Nick Westbrook-Ikhine won’t be the Miami Dolphins’ savior.

The free agent addition is a solid NFL receiver, maybe even an NFL starter in the right scheme.

He’s got decent size (6-foot-2, 211 pounds), but is far from the next Mike Evans or DeAndre Hopkins, towering over NFL cornerbacks.

He’s scored 19 touchdowns in 78 games, of which he’s started 39. But he’s averaged 1.6 receptions and 29.2 yards per game throughout his five-year career.

Does the addition of Westbrook-Ikhine, who signed a two-year deal worth $6 million with Miami, address a need that the Dolphins have? Absolutely.

Is he going to change the trajectory of this floundering franchise?

[Insert silence]

The same can be said about all 12 of the Dolphins’ newcomers, and the seven players re-signed from last year’s team.

If we’re going to be honest about Miami’s fiscally conscious approach to free agency this past month, it would be best described as “they did the best they could” because that’s what this was.

NFL players aren’t blind, or deaf to the landscape of the league, and neither are their agents. Therefore, everyone knows the Dolphins are a wounded franchise, one that owner Steve Ross has backed into a corner, demanding that the status quo of mediocrity changes, or he’ll make changes.

That explains why unless the opportunity, or money was too much to pass up on, what everyone saw coming Miami’s way via free agency was the best of what the Dolphins had to pick from.

These players were the best Miami could afford at this time, and now the focus shifts to the 10 prospects Miami will select in the 2025 NFL draft, which takes place a month from now.

“If I’m being honest, Miami chose me. I’m just thankful to be a part of it,” said linebacker Willie Gay Jr., a 55-game starter who has won two-championships with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Gay fell on hard times the past two seasons because of an NFL suspension, and like most of the Dolphins’ signees, the 27-year-old was just happy an NFL team still wanted him.

“Last year didn’t go the way I wanted it to,” Gay Jr. said on Monday. “I was down to the wire in free agency and Miami chose me.”

Tampa Bay fans celebrated K.J. Britt’s departure even though he was an 11-game starter, who logged 72 tackles and half a sack last season in his 613 snaps.

Britt, a 2021 fifth-round pick, supposedly missed too many tackles, and was too loose from a coverage standpoint for their personal taste.

The Buccaneers preferred signing Anthony Walker Jr., who thrived in Miami when healthy last season, so a swap of linebackers was made between these two Florida-based NFL franchises within minutes of one another.

Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu lost his opportunity to become Detroit’s starting safety because of an injury he suffered early last season, and the Lions weren’t seem pressed about his departure one bit, allowing the 25-year-old to sign a one-year deal worth $3 million with Miami.

“Through four years I proved what I can do. People have seen it,” said Melifonwu, who credits Dolphins secondary coach Brian Duker for teaching this college nickel cornerback how to play safety when they were together in Detroit. “I’ve never had anything handed to me since [my] Syracuse days … I’m just ready to go out there and compete.”

The Lions have $44 million in cap space still. But had two young safeties — Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph — they chose to invest in over Melifonwu, so he was sent packing.

Same goes for Ashytn Davis, who signed a one-year deal worth $2.5 million with Miami after seemingly falling between the cracks of the Jets’ changing regimes.

Regime changes usually trigger personnel changes, and even though Davis has averaged 35 tackles a season, and pulled eight career interceptions in his five seasons, he’s far from a proven NFL starter despite having 22 starts on his resume.

“Everybody’s story [is] not going to be the same,” said Britt, who missed most of his senior season at Auburn because of a hand injury, but still got drafted in the second round. “Everyone’s story is not going to be picture perfect and clear.”

Like most of the Dolphins newcomers, Britt is a proven NFL player, one who is looking for an opportunity to show he’s an NFL starter.

And that’s what the Dolphins can offer, an opportunity for fringe players to showcase themselves.

That doesn’t exactly put Miami in an ideal spot to challenge the Buffalo Bills for AFC East supremacy, but you never know how desperation, and hunger can drive a team.

But that’s just it, the whole roster is filled with “you never know,” and/or “let’s see what happens,” talent.

So we’re going into this critical 2025 season with a roster full of projects, and players hoping to extend, if not save their NFL career.

“It was awesome to feel wanted like that,” Westbrook-Ikhine said about his exchange with Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.

“[Miami has a] bunch of weapons. Bunch of speed. I’m just excited to find my role,” Westbrook-Ikhine said. “I’m super excited. I really can’t stress that enough.”

Let’s hope that excitement turns into productivity, and players like Westbrook-Ikhine, Davis, Melifonwu and offensive lineman James Daniels, Miami’s top free agent addition, maximize their opportunities because that’s the only way this upcoming season doesn’t get flushed early.

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