MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — In his first practice with the Miami Dolphins, veteran safety Marcus Maye wore a backup fullback’s number and displayed (at least on one rep) a backup fullback’s ability to catch the ball.
“I gotta catch those,” Maye said with bemused exasperation after dropping a surefire interception during training camp Day 1. “I ain’t gonna drop no more. So I gotta make sure I catch those, bring those in.”
How Marcus Maye Fits With Miami Dolphins
Maye — who due to scarcity of available numbers is now wearing practice jersey No. 46 –should have plenty of chances going forward, particularly if Tua Tagovailoa continues to boycott parts of practices in protest of his contract situation.
The Dolphins’ backup quarterbacks struggled Wednesday, throwing a half dozen or so interceptable passes.
In their defense, it’s a tall task going against a talented Dolphins secondary that got even better last month when Maye signed a one-year, $1.4 million free agent contract.
Maye won’t be handed the starting job opposite Jevon Holland, but don’t be surprised if he earns it over the next six weeks. Maye will compete with Jordan Poyer for snaps, but the expectation should be that all three safeties see the field at the same time in 2024.
Asked what he brings to the table, Maye replied: “Just my versatility. You know, I can do a lot of things on the football field, free safety, strong safety, — anything you need — special teams.”
That’s an intriguing prospect for a defensive backfield that already has Jalen Ramsey and Kendall Fuller, who also have great position versatility. It will be fascinating to see in the coming months how new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver uses them all.
“I’m sure [Weaver] has got a lot of tricks up his sleeve,” Maye said. “And that was a reason why I wanted to come, with him and the versatility that we have in the back end, just being here and being a part of it. I’m excited for it.”
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Maye has long been a respected player in the league. He started 77 games and earned $31.9 million in his first seven seasons but surprisingly went the first three months of his latest free agency without signing with a team.
“I took the process for what it was,” Maye said. “This was probably the longest time I’ve been through it. But I weighed all my options. We reached out and did everything that we could, and this was the best option for me.”
Playing alongside Ramsey — his longtime friend — is never a bad option.
“I’ve known Jalen since college,” Maye said. “He hasn’t changed a bit. He’s still one of the top corners in this league, if not the best. Jalen is gonna be Jalen, so I’m excited to actually be on his side now.”
