What the JuJu Brents Injury News Means Moving Forward

After winning two games in a row for the first time this season, the Miami Dolphins got some tough injury news Monday.

Cornerback JuJu Brents is slated to have season-ending foot surgery after leaving the team’s 16-13 win against the Washington Commanders in the second half, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. It’s an incredibly brutal break for Brents, who was making his second start of the season.

#Dolphins CB JuJu Brents, a former second-rounder with the #Colts finding his foot in Miami, is slated for season-ending foot surgery, per me and @MikeGarafolo. A frustrating end for Brents, who will be 100% in 2026. pic.twitter.com/mlgbgILWiL
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 17, 2025

Brents was filling in for Rasul Douglas, who has missed the last two games. Against Buffalo, Brents had one of the better games of his NFL career. He allowed just two catches for 12 yards, according to Pro Football Focus. He also recovered a fumble that helped keep Buffalo scoreless in the first half.

The charting data for Week 11 isn’t out yet, but Brents was credited with five tackles in the box score, and he didn’t appear to give up any big plays in coverage.

Brents’ emergence was a big deal for a Dolphins team that claimed him off waivers from the Colts at roster cutdowns. He was a young (25) player at a position of need who already is under contract for next season.

Brents’ Injury History Is Extensive

Dealing with injuries is nothing new for Brents, a former second-round pick of the Colts.

Before coming to Miami, he played in only 11 of 34 possible games since entering the league. Brents landed on injured reserve after the Colts’ second game in 2024 after he suffered a torn MCL and meniscus in his knee. He’s also battled several other minor injuries and dealt with a hamstring injury this summer.

At this point, it seems like Brents is just unlucky, so it’s hard to count on him as a piece of the Dolphins’ long-term puzzle. The talent is clearly present, but he just doesn’t play enough games.

This is also a trend for the Dolphins in general. The team has suffered numerous injuries in the secondary this season, making it difficult to keep track.

Kader Kohou, Artie Burns, Storm Duck and Jason Maitre are all on injured reserve with various injuries. The team also lost Cornell Armstrong to an injury, but the team reached an injury settlement with him.

What This Means for Dolphins, Brents’ Future

As we mentioned above, Brents could have been a nice piece of the puzzle for the Dolphins. The team’s starting cornerbacks — Douglas and Jack Jones — will both be free agents after the season.

Kohou’s contract is also up, so there’s practically no depth inside the cornerback room. Brents is at least under contract for next season, and he’s not expensive. His cap hit will be just $1.8 million next season, according to Spotrac.

Assuming his rehab goes well, it wouldn’t hurt the Dolphins to keep him around through the summer. That said, the team can not rely on him as a future starter.

Miami will still likely have to add multiple potential starting and backup cornerbacks through free agency and the draft this offseason.

There was some hope that Brents could at least take one starting spot in 2026, but his injury history is just too much of a red flag.

As for the immediate future, the Dolphins’ secondary will likely just go back to what it looked like before Douglas got hurt.

It’ll be Douglas and Jones on the outside, while Jason Marshall Jr. manages the slot. Miami is heading into its bye, so it would be a bit surprising if Douglas isn’t ready for the team’s next game against the Saints.

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