Safety first: Could Dolphins’ Needham make a position switch from cornerback?

It’s quite possible that a picture the Miami Dolphins posted on their social media account addresses one of the offseason’s biggest mysteries on defense.

On Wednesday, the Dolphins posted a image of safeties Jevon Holland, Jordan Poyer and Elijah Campbell standing with cornerback Nik Needham and the captain read “squad up!”

When asked on his Instagram account if he’s moving to safety on a picture of Needham pushing a shed, the former UTEP standout, who made it onto the Dolphins roster in 2019 as an undrafted rookie, responded with a series of eyeball emojis.

That picture, and Needham’s response potentially clarified why Miami only signed one free agent safety (Poyer) after losing DeShone Elliott to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Brandon Jones to the Denver Broncos in free agency.

Is it possible that Needham, a fifth-year veteran who has started 27 of the 61 NFL games he has played in, could be looking at a full-time position switch to safety. At the bare minimum he’s being cross-trained to play it in Anthony Weaver’s new defense.

The biggest indicator of whether the position switch is serious is what position room he has been assigned to in the offseason.

Needham has started games at safety the past three seasons, playing that position in a pinch because of injuries, and last season he filled in as a dime safety in various packages when he returned from the Achilles tendon injury he sustained late in the 2022 season.

The Dolphins have had Needham work as a safety from in specific packages going back to the Brian Flores days, and have long praised his intelligence, which allows him to cross-train at two spots. But does that mean Needham could be safety No. 4 in the 2024 defense?

It is seemingly an option possible being explored.

The Dolphins did draft California safety Patrick McMorris in the sixth round, and he recorded 252 tackles (11 for loss), six interceptions, broke up 23 passes, forced two fumbles and recovered four in his five collegiate seasons.

Miami also intends to sign three undrafted rookie defensive backs in Jordan Colbert, Mark Perry and Isaiah Johnson, who like McMorris will be tried out at safety during the offseason program.

But Needham, who has primarily worked as Miami’s nickel cornerback throughout his NFL career, could be the team’s break-in-case of emergency option at safety if something happened to Holland and Poyer, the two projected starters, because of his experience, special teams contributions and position flexibility.

In the NFL, a transition from cornerback to safety is quite common. In fact, Campbell made it while a member of the Dolphins two seasons ago.

Clearly, plenty will be determined by how everyone performs in the offseason program, and training camp.

If Needham were moved to safety full-time the Dolphins would be forced to rely on Cam Smith, the team’s 2023 second-round pick, Ethan Bonner, who spent last year developing on the practice squad as an undrafted rookie, Neal Siran, a free agent signed from Buffalo, and Storm Duck, an undrafted rookie expected to sign this week, as backups to Jalen Ramsey, Kendall Fuller and Kader Kohou, the three projected starters.

Needham could be utilized there as a nickel cornerback, and someone who could work on the boundary in a pinch, and seemingly, someone who roam the back end of the secondary at safety.