Was the Dolphins' right-of-refusal tender for Kader Kohou enough to keep the CB?

USA Today

09-03-2025

Was the Dolphins' right-of-refusal tender for Kader Kohou enough to keep the CB?
The Miami Dolphins applied the right-of-first-refusal tender to keep cornerback Kader Kohou on the roster, but there's a chance it won't be enough.
Kohou, 26, has played 47 games in his three seasons with the Dolphins and started 38. After struggling a bit in coverage during his second year, the Ivory Coast-native bounced back in 2024 by holding opposing quarterbacks to a 76.0 passer rating -- way down from the 132.9 rating he allowed in 2023.
To keep the cornerback for a fourth season, the Dolphins had three options: a first-round tender, second-round tender, or right-of-first-refusal tender.
In all three scenarios, Kohou is still allowed to test the free agency market. But if Miami used the first two tenders and the cornerback signed elsewhere, the Dolphins would get a draft pick (in the first or second round) as compensation for his departure. The right-of-first-refusal tender means the Dolphins won't get anything back if Kohou leaves.
It was the only financially reasonable path for the franchise, though. The tender the team applied on Kohou is due to pay the cornerback $3,263,000 in 2025. If the team used the second-round tender, that salary would've been $5,346,000 and a first-round tender would've paid Kohou a $7,458,000 salary.
The question now is whether another team will attempt to add Kohou when free agency begins later this month. Typically, any tender is enough to ward off potential suitors, but not always. Just last year, the Detroit Lions placed the right-of-refusal tender on Brock Wright, but the San Francisco 49ers signed the tight end to a three-year, $12 million offer sheet that the Lions decided to match.
Kohou is a relatively experienced, young player who has proven himself a pretty reliable NFL defensive back. While the Dolphins will have the opportunity to match any offer the cornerback hypothetically receives, Miami isn't well positioned to push Kohou's pay much higher than the one-year, $3.26 million deal he's now set to receive. Even a $4-5 million per year salary could scare off the Dolphins. That's a number that wouldn't be surprising for Kohou to fetch.