Seventh-year veteran corner Eli Apple and the Miami Dolphins agree to terms to a one-year contract. Apple spent 2022 with the Cincinnati Bengals and has had stops with the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, and Carolina Panthers.
Veteran CB Eli Apple is signing a one-year deal with the #Dolphins, per source.
With Jalen Ramsey out until December, Apple brings a lot of experience to the Miami secondary. His agent Kevin Conner of @UniSportsMgmt confirmed the deal.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 29, 2023
Eli Apple, Miami Dolphins Agree to Contract
One of the more vocal corners with a severe case of Twitter fingers has been a rather embattled player in the NFL across his career. Apple’s career started off with high expectations as the Giants drafted him as the 10th overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Ohio State.
In New York, Apple had a decent rookie year, logging 10 tackles for loss and an interception to go with seven pass deflections and a forced fumble. In his second year, Apple was slated to be the starting corner but was eventually benched in Week 5 due to disciplinary reasons. In 11 appearances, Apple managed just seven passes defended and 49 tackles. His 2017 season ended unceremoniously due to multiple instances of conflict between Apple and his Giants teammates and coaches. After just a few weeks, the Giants shipped Apple off to New Orleans for fourth and seventh-round picks.
It got a little better in New Orleans, but Apple was still a concern off the field. On the field, he joined a few other former Buckeyes and finished the 2018 season in New Orleans with a pair of interceptions, nine deflections, and 52 tackles. After the Saints declined his fifth-year option and a deal with the Raiders fell through, Apple found himself in Carolina on a one-year deal.
That deal lasted just two games and the Panthers cut Apple.
Before the 2021 season, the Bengals took a flyer on Apple and signed him to another one-year deal. There, Apple played the best ball of his career, logging two interceptions, 10 deflections, a forced fumble, and 49 tackles. In the playoffs, he helped win the Divisional Round game against the Titans by deflecting a pass that was eventually intercepted.
This past year was just about the same, without the interceptions. Overall, Apple played well enough and allowed just three touchdowns in coverage. However, when he got beat, he got beat badly, as evident in the Bengals Wild Card matchup.
Apple is a decent depth piece, not a CB1. He does carry a little baggage with his overactive Twitter fingers and smack talk. A player nicknamed “The Silent Assassin” is anything but. Miami needed help with the injury to Jalen Ramsey.
Main Image: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY
