The Miami Dolphins know they have at least two more games with Jevon Holland as their starting free safety. Beyond that, uncertainty.
But common sense suggests that if the two sides haven’t gotten a deal done in the last nine months, they’re not going to agree to one in the next three.
Rather, Holland seems likely to get paid elsewhere this offseason, following in the footsteps of former teammates Christian Wilkins (who shares an agent — David Mulugheta — with Holland) and Robert Hunt, and head for the exits when his contract expires.
Will Jevon Holland Bolt Miami Dolphins in Free Agency?
Certainly, it’s less than ideal for teams to let their top homegrown talent walk out the door. Holland, a former second-round pick, on paper, is exactly the type of player Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel would prioritize keeping.
But that never seemed to be a priority. During the Dolphins’ summer of spending, they handed out massive new or adjusted contracts to Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle, Jalen Ramsey, and Tyreek Hill.
Holland, meanwhile, didn’t get his. He’s earning $3.4 million under his rookie deal — placing him outside of the top 25 in 2024 safety compensation.
Credit Holland for not making waves this season, but it’s hard not to think the Dolphins’ apparent reluctance to pay him like a top-10 safety has impacted his play.
Put simply, Holland hasn’t been himself this year — even if his advanced stats suggest he’s having a decent year.
If the season ended today, Holland — who missed time this season with hand and knee injuries — would set or tie career lows in passes defensed (3), interceptions (0), and fumble recoveries (0).
While he far more often than not is in the right place, Holland hasn’t been able to translate that into the type of big plays that are a prerequisite for a market-resetting contract.
“I think just kind of being in and out of the lineup has certainly affected some of that,” Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said earlier this month. “It’s unfortunate the stats haven’t been there for Jevon.
“When he’s on the field, you certainly feel his impact even though it may not show up necessarily on the stat sheet. I think the games he’s missed, you can feel it. Particularly on our side of the ball on some of those plays where you thought if he would’ve been there, those plays would have been made. I love Jevon, I think he’s a heck of a player. Those stats to me, they’ll come. They’ll come with the snaps.”
Those stats, in fact, did not come.
Rather, Holland has had some pretty rough moments on the field this year, most recently in Week 16, when San Francisco 49ers wrecking ball Deebo Samuel Sr. ran him over on his way to the end zone. It was Holland’s fifth missed tackle of the year and the breaking point for several fans.
Even if the Dolphins were inclined to bring Holland back this offseason — a dubious assumption — they might not have the money to do so. They have just $12.1 million in projected salary cap space and one safety under contract (Patrick McMorris) in 2025.
It just doesn’t make sense for a team that’s already too top-heavy financially to add another $20+ million in annual salary cap commitments on a player who has five career interceptions.
The smart (and likely) move for Miami is to let him walk, collect the 2026 compensatory pick, and draft his replacement in April.