What’s Jevon Hollands Future Look Like?
Photo Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Nothing is better for an NFL team than finding a great talent via the draft, and that’s exactly what the Miami Dolphins pulled off with safety Jevon Holland. The Canadian-born defensive back was a second-round pick in 2021, and in his third NFL season the growing consensus is that he’s one of the best safeties in the entire league. But that comes with a price, and the Dolphins will probably have to pay it soon.
Holland has been elite through five weeks this season. According to PFF, he’s the highest-graded safety so far in 2023 (91.4), ahead of Jessie Bates, Grant Delpit, Kyle Hamilton, and Geno Stone. Just Holland and Bates are above 90.0 grades, which is a really high bar. The Dolphins’ safety is also a complete player. He has a 90.2 coverage grade, which has been his calling card, but he’s also pretty effective against the run: 81.0 PFF grade.
“He has a tremendous impact,” Dolphins defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “We utilize his abilities a lot. Some of it’s not very visible to the average person. He’s just a tremendous player. He has a chance to be a special, special player in the NFL.”
Over five weeks, he’s had 34 solo tackles, two forced fumbles, eight stops, and has allowed a 76.2 passer rating when targeted, with just 8.2 yards per reception — a particularly impressive number for a deep safety. At 23 years old, it’s easy and fair to argue that he is among the most valuable safeties in the NFL alongside Hamilton, if not the most.
Holland is under contract through 2024. As a second-round pick, he doesn’t have a fifth-year club option. So the Dolphins really have just the rest of this season and the next one of cheap labor. He’s making $1.45 million this season, and is slated to make $1.85 million in 2024.
The safety market is relatively cheap if compared to other defensive positions. It’s the only one so far in which no player has gotten at least $20 million on yearly average. The highest-paid safety is Derwin James, from the Los Angeles Chargers, who signed a four-year, $76.5 million deal — $19.13 million average per year.
Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was also drafted by the Dolphins and then traded away, extended with the Pittsburgh Steelers for four years and $73.6 million, a $18.4 million average per season. Even on the open market and changing teams, Jessie Bates wasn’t able to reset the market. He left the Cincinnati Bengals and signed with the Atlanta Falcons for $64.02 million over four years, averaging slightly over $16 million per year.
Considering the market inflation and how valuable he is to the Dolphins defense, Holland is probably going to look for an upgrade over what these players got. Don’t be surprised if he becomes the highest-paid defensive back, surpassing Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander, who’s got a $21 million average over four seasons.
A four-year, $85 million extension with something around $30 million in guarantees is probably where this deal will end up. And, considering what Holland has done so far in his career, it’s a smart move by the Dolphins.
Technically, Miami could wait one more year, and maybe even use the franchise tag to keep Holland around for a smaller financial hit. However, as the salary cap is expected to move up significantly over the next few years, Holland’s contract will just become more expensive the more the Dolphins wait.
And a good reason for that is Kyle Hamilton. The Baltimore Ravens safety was drafted in 2022, so he will be eligible to be extended after the 2024 season. For the Dolphins, it would be extremely smart to finalize Holland’s deal before the Ravens extend Hamilton, because whoever re-signs later will get more money — they are players from the same level, and that’s how the NFL market works.
The Dolphins have several expensive players, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa might get himself an extension soon. But Jevon Holland is by far the most impactful defensive players for Miami. He’s great, he’s young, and he’s been exactly what Vic Fangio looks for. It’s the type of player you pay, and happily so.
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