How Jack Jones Doubled His 2025 Dolphins Salary And What's Ahead for 2026

The veteran cornerback benefited from a NFL-NFLPA program

Miami Dolphins cornerback Jack Jones (23) interception a pass intended for Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (86) in overtime during the 2025 NFL Madrid Game at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Cornerback Jack Jones proved a pretty good bargain for the Miami Dolphins after joining the team last summer, but he doubled his 2025 salary without playing another down Monday.

Jones was among the beneficiaries of the performance-based pay program, collectively bargained the league and the players, that rewards players who outperform their contract based on playing time.

Jones most certainly did that last season after signing a one-year, $1.1 million contract and then starting all 17 games for Miami, which badly needed help after Jalen Ramsey was traded and Kader Kohou was lost for a knee injury very early in training camp.

As a result, Jones was awarded $1.1 million, which was the amount for which the Dolphins signed him.

Jones played 92 percent of the Dolphins' defensive snaps last year and finished with one interception — it was a big one as it came in overtime of the game against the Washington Commanders in Spain and set up Riley Patterson's winning field goal.

The Dolphins were Jones' third team since he entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2022, and he could be looking at a fourth team in five years as he's navigating free agency this offseason.

Jones had a bit of a checkered past before he came to Miami, which is why he was available in late July, and maybe he's looking at having to wait until the second or third wave of free agency before a team signs him.

THE DOLPHINS COULD USE JONES

On talent alone, there's no question that Jones would have a place on the 2026 roster as it's currently constituted.

The Dolphins have 12 cornerbacks on the roster, but there's probably not one on there with Jones' ability.

Whether Jones would be willing to return at a low salary — something similar to what his contract called for last year — and whether new head coach Jeff Hafley and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan would be interested in a return in the first place will questions that maybe should be explored if Jones remains on the free agent market much longer.

NOAH'S NEXT TEAM

Another former Dolphins cornerback found a new team as 2020 first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene signed with the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks as an unrestricted free agent.

Igbinoghene played the past two seasons with the Washington Commanders, for whom he enjoyed the best year of his NFL career in 2024 when he started 10 regular season games and two more in the playoffs with Washington reaching the NFC Championship Game.

Igbinoghene never gained any footing in Miami, starting five of the 32 games he played in three seasons before he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys before the start of the 2023 season for fellow cornerback Kelvin Joseph.