Dolphins’ Kader Kohou taking steps toward becoming reliable playmaker for his second season

MIAMI GARDENS — Last season, Dolphins cornerback Kader Kohou, as an undrafted rookie from Texas A&M-Commerce, learned how to survive in the NFL.

He started 13 games, and despite often playing with a cast on his right hand to protect an injured thumb and battling an oblique injury, he ended with 72 tackles, one interception, 10 passes defended and one forced fumble. He was the Dolphins’ best-rated cornerback by Pro Football Focus at No. 36 in the league, if you believe in such ratings, and was a first team selection on at least one NFL Rookie All-Defensive team.

This season, with a year under his belt and while being flanked by veteran cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard, Kohou is learning to become a playmaker as a nickel/slot cornerback.

He’s beginning to understand route concepts, personnel packages, skill sets of various wide receivers. He’s getting a better understanding of offenses and opponents.

It’s the next step in the progression to becoming a key contributor to one of the best secondary units in the NFL.

“As a rookie, you’re just going out there like, ‘OK, let me do my job,’ not really understanding what they’re giving you formationally, and as far as personnel and and all those different things,” said Sam Madison, cornerbacks coach/pass game specialist.

“So he’s growing. He’s learning those things, and he’s talking a lot of terminology.”

Kohou, who earned a $705,000 NFL-issued performance bonus for the 2022 season, reported to offseason workouts in good shape physically and mentally.

“He came back, his body looks good, he’s taking care of some things off the field and we’re just going to be able to see exactly how it all plays out,” Madison said.

Kohou seized upon the opportunity he got last season when veteran cornerback Byron Jones, a projected starter, never recovered from offseason leg surgery, and Nik Needham went down with an Achilles injury.

Kohou is keeping goals for this season simple.

“Just improve from last year, my rookie year,” he said. “It’s my second year, so you’ve just got to keep improving.”

Kohou, who showed a knack for aggression with his pass defense and tackling skills, has an opportunity to start in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme.

Most likely he’ll fit in as a starting nickel/slot with Howard and Ramsey on the boundary.

But Needham, who still hasn’t been fully cleared to resume practice as he recovers from the Achilles injury, could challenge for that starting slot job. And rookie cornerback Cam Smith, the second-round pick from South Carolina, is also in the mix for a primary backup job.

But Kohou’s versatility, combined with Fangio’s creativity, offers lots of possibilities.

“He played in the nickel, he played at the dime, he played at the cornerback position,” Madison said of Kohou during his rookie season. “Vic is trying to find the best people to put on the football field and he definitely is in the mix just like a lot of these guys are.

“But now it just becomes you know, who’s the most consistent, who’s the most productive and who’s going to be there and be one of those guys that we can depend on no matter what position that we put him in. And, and he’s working at it.”

Kohou said he’s enjoying his introduction to Fangio’s defense.

“I feel like from the system part we’re going to be able to make a lot more plays than last year,” Kohou said. “Our defensive backs are great, we can do it all, play man, play zone. It’s all going to be how Vic sees it, and how Vic wants to play it.”

The same could be said for Kohou — it’ll all depend on how Fangio sees Kohou’s role and wants to play him.

Madison said it’s been fun to see Kohou grow, to see him take pieces from Ramsey’s game and Howard’s game and incorporate them into his own game, while keeping the aggressiveness that made him successful as a rookie.

“They come in wide-eyed and bushy-tailed,” Madison said of young players, in general, “and then you get thrown in there with some grown men and you have to step up.

“But he’s done it, and he’s ready to go. He’s open to whatever challenge Vic throws at him, and he’s open to competition because he never backs down.”