The Miami Dolphins simply aren’t interested in trading away a player they consider a core piece of the future.
So much so, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier recently walked up to the podium and name-dropped that player, revealing that other teams have attempted to call and have been denied.
Said player is second-year cornerback Ethan Bonner, with Grier saying the following: “He’s a smart player, very competitive, and we’ve had a number of teams try to trade for him in the offseason and even last year. Very excited for his opportunity and he’s taken advantage of it every time he’s had [one].”
It’s highly unusual for a team’s brass to get in front of a mic and reveal back-end chats with other teams like this. Yet it speaks to the confidence the Dolphins have in Bonner, the feel-good story who went undrafted last year and spent most of his rookie year on the practice squad.
Now, Bonner has ascended over the summer with a strong training camp, to the point of looking like the third boundary cornerback and in line for major reps should Jalen Ramsey and Kendall Fuller need to miss time.
In recent years, the Dolphins have desperately attempted to solve the issue at cornerback with big swings such as the Ramsey trade and taking Cam Smith in the second round last year. Stumbling into a player like Bonner is a nice bonus and almost any return offered wouldn’t be worth it at such a premium position.
Considering Bonner reps against the likes of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle often at times, the fact he’s surging and getting public backing from the Dolphins says it all about his current trajectory.
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