The Dolphins struck gold last season when they took a chance on a free-agent defensive back with an injury history in Brent Grimes.
One year later, Miami hopes to hit pay dirt again with open-market addition Louis Delmas, the oft-injured former Lions safety who's hit the ground running in South Beach.
"He is 100 miles an hour with everything he's doing," defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle said Monday, per James Walker of ESPN.com. "But he's a very, very perceptive guy on the field. He sees formations quickly. He communicates very well. He understands mistakes."
More importantly, the sixth-year backstop -- after missing 13 games over the past three seasons with knee issues in Detroit -- says this is the "best I've felt my last four years of football."
To be fair, Delmas managed to play all 16 tilts last season. After he was cut by the Lions, though, Miami's one-year, $3.5 million deal was a clear reflection of how little NFL front offices trusted his long-term durability.
Delmas projects ahead of Jimmy Wilson at strong safety across from veteran Reshad Jones. If he can stay on the field from wire-to-wire, the back end of Miami's pass defense has a strong chance to improve upon its No. 16 overall ranking from one autumn ago.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" picks their favorites for Comeback Player of the Year and takes listener calls.