The Miami Dolphins are playing musical chairs in the secondary as first-year defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver identifies the team’s strengths and weaknesses. Nik Needham spent most of his five-year career switching between boundary and slot cornerback but understands his number could also be called to play safety.
“It’s not too different right now, because I think it was like three or four years ago when Jevon [Holland] and Brandon [Jones] were battling injuries, I stepped in and played a little safety,” Needham said about practicing at both safety and nickel cornerback. “That was my first time really playing it, so now it’s just kind of breaking it back in, hitting up some old notes that I had on safety and talking to Jevon and having Jordan [Poyer], too, helps as well – two of the best safeties. And then nickel, that’s just football really. I’ve never really had an issue with that going from corner to nickel.”
Needham, 27, played over 400 snaps at slot cornerback in 2020 and 2021. He broke up eight passes, intercepted four more, and allowed just three touchdowns in coverage throughout 23 games. The former UTEP Miner bounced outside in 2022 and started five games before tearing his Achilles tendon against the Minnesota Vikings.
Former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio hinted that Needham was cross-training but 56 of his 72 snaps came at slot cornerback last season. Opposing receivers caught six of eight targets when facing Needham in coverage but only averaged 7.3 yards per reception.
“At corner, it’s really your physical abilities,” Needham said. “It’s one-on-one, you verse the guy right in front of you. When you move to safety, you kind of control the whole defense. You have to understand how to put guys in certain positions and in certain situations what to do.
“I think that’s probably the hardest part, but I feel like I’m a capable guy and versatile enough that I can handle the workload and play corner, safety, nickel, linebacker. Like I said, whatever they need me to play, I’m going to play.”
