The Miami Dolphins are gearing up for the start of free agency when the league year starts, and they have 28 players that are expected to become unrestricted, restricted, or earned rights free agents.
One of those players set to hit the market is linebacker Elandon Roberts.
Roberts has spent the past two years with the Dolphins after spending his first four with New England. In Miami, he’s had a role as the starting inside linebacker, playing 48% of defensive snaps in 2020 and 55% in 2021.
The 27-year-old isn’t the NFL’s prototypical linebacker for today’s game, as he’s not great in coverage, but throughout his career, he’s been respectable against the run. In 2021, he set a career-high in tackles with 83. However, he also had 19 missed tackles, which was tied for the seventh-most in the NFL. If you’re not going to provide solid coverage, you have to be finishing those tackles.
Miami did a great job limiting Roberts’ opportunities in coverage to hide that weakness. He was only targeted 29 times, allowing 13 completions for a 91 passer rating. The Dolphins instead opted to play a guy like Duke Riley in those scenarios, who has a bit more to offer.
With that being said, it feels like Roberts is better suited to be a rotational linebacker rather than a starter. He can do some things well and bring effort on special teams, but he’s never going to be a true, top player at the position.
The Dolphins should consider bringing Roberts back in that role, especially considering his asking price shouldn’t be a ton, but they should be looking for an upgrade at the starting middle linebacker spot.