The Dolphins have worked out a pair of moves in the secondary on Tuesday. A deal is in place to add safety Ifeatu Melifonwu, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Melifonwu will head to Miami on a one-year, $4MM pact, Schefter adds. After being limited to only three games last season (the final one of his rookie contract), his market was due to be limited to a prove-it deal. The former Lion will look to deliver a healthy campaign in advance of free agency in 2026.
The Dolphins are also re-signing defensive back Elijah Campbell, per Schefter. His deal will also be one year in length, and it will be worth $1.9MM. The former UDFA has spent the past four years in Miami, and his tenure there will continue for 2025,
A 2024 spent largely on IR impacted Melifonwu, a former third-round Lions draftee. Melifonwu played in just three games last year, with an ankle injury leading to the low-participation slate. The Lions, however, valued Melifonwu enough — during a season that featured much higher-profile injuries — to use two IR activations on him. The Syracuse alum did not debut until Week 16 but started each of the four games (counting Detroit’s divisional-round loss) he played.
Used as a six-game starter in 2023, Melifonwu saw his role increase in part because of C.J. Gardner-Johnson‘s pectoral tear. The former tallied three sacks and two interceptions for the Lions that season, though Detroit’s defense struggled in Aaron Glenn’s third year. Rather than rejoining Glenn in New York, Melifonwu will aim to play a role for a Dolphins team that lost Jevon Holland to the Giants on Tuesday morning. With Jordan Poyer also not expected back, starting spots are open in Miami.
A former UDFA, Campbell has seen action on at least 65% of the Dolphins’ special teams plays over the past four seasons. This will be the 29-year-old DB’s sixth year with the team.
Ifeatu is a steal! Kid is going to be amazing for the Dolphins!
You are using two exclamation points too many
The Lions prioritize their own draft picks, especially early rounds. The fact they are letting a 3rd round pick go for a 1 yr, 4m contract says more than anything else could.
He’s been living on one two game stretch where he was able to accrue a couple sacks because no tape existed of him being a late blitz. Outside those two games he has done almost nothing–literally and figuratively.
That part !