Dolphins Sign Special Teams Ace Siran Neal
Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
The Miami Dolphins are getting to work in free agency, and poaching from their AFC East Rivals in the Buffalo Bills, for a cherry on top. Cornerback and special teams specialist Siran Neal is coming to the Miami Dolphins on a reported one-year deal.
The Dolphins upgrading their special teams comes on the heels of head coach Mike McDaniel publicly defending his special teams coordinator, Danny Crossman, last month. Miami’s special teams have been an area in dire need of improvement, having allowed the fifth-most average yardage on punt returns, and the most kick return yardage, a whopping 30.5 yards per return.
McDaniel went to bat for Crossman, saying “Although results are very, very important… so much of my job is determining the compounding variables and whys of things.” He emphasized his belief that Crossman was “the appropriate guy” to hold the position moving forward.
Which means that upgrades had to come in the form of personnel, which is where Neal, age 29, enters. While Buffalo’s special teams stats didn’t fare much better than Miami’s last season (28th in average yards per punt return, 20th in average yards per kick return), Neal carries a reputation of a strong special teams player.
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Neal may get a more regular role on defense than he ever did with the Bills – he maxed out at 18% of Buffalo’s defensive snaps – but that’s besides the point. The first priority with this signing is to get the special teams up to snuff. If Neal can also contribute in the secondary, that’s secondary.
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