The Miami Dolphins will have a learning curve during the 2026 season.
That was evident in Miami’s first half against the Las Vegas Raiders, in which they went down 17-6 at halftime.
Miami struggling early was to be expected as the team is the youngest in the NFL. They added 13 players during the 2026 NFL Draft, and many of them were opening day starters for the team. However, one of those particularly struggled during his NFL debut.
On the receiving end of both of Las Vegas’ touchdowns was Miami Dolphins cornerback Chris Johnson.
Miami Dolphins Rookie Cornerback Called Out
ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques posted on X: “Chris Johnson’s getting picked on today
Cousins tosses another TD pass, this time to Jeanty on a Texas route out of the backfield — the rookie was again the closest defender
Raiders take a 17-7 lead with 1:07 left in the half”
Cousins tosses another TD pass, this time to Jeanty on a Texas route out of the backfield — the rookie was again the closest defender
Raiders take a 17-7 lead with 1:07 left in the half
The Palm Beach Post’s Joe Schad posted on X: “Kirk Cousins is going after Dolphins rookie Chris Johnson today. Johnson is very talented but Cousins also knows it’s his first NFL game.”
Johnson was Miami’s second pick in the draft, as they traded back up in the first-round and selected him with the 27th overall pick.
Aside from Jeanty’s touchdown, Johnson also allowed the game’s first touchdown as he was beat by Raiders receiver Jack Bech on a 15-yard touchdown pass on third down.
Despite struggling in pass coverage, the cornerback has been strong in his tackling. He has registered seven total tackles in the first half.
Chris Johnson Player Profile
Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, Johnson was the 35th-ranked prospect by NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah.
Regarding Johnson, Jeremiah wrote: “Johnson has excellent height, bulk and movement skills for his position. In press coverage, he doesn’t use his hands to reroute the receiver, but he has very quick feet and he’s fluid to open up/run. He will mix in some bail technique, where he’ll turn his back toward the sideline, run and stay on top of wideouts. He’s at his best in off coverage, where he shows excellent eyes/instincts to trigger on throws in front of him. He’s natural in finding and playing the ball. Johnson is extremely tough and aggressive to fill versus the run. He’s a dependable tackler in space and he flashes burst/closing ability as a blitzer. He had an up-and-down week at the Senior Bowl, but he rebounded with an outstanding NFL Scouting Combine performance. Coaches at SDSU rave about his character and toughness.”
Hopefully this is a learning experience for the young cornerback and he can improve in the remainder of the season.
Dolphins First-Round Rookie Called Out During Raiders Game