MIAMI GARDENS, FL – DECEMBER 31: Cordrea Tankersley #30 of the Miami Dolphins deflects the pass during the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium on December 31, 2017 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
The Miami Dolphins have released Cordrea Tankersley.
Brian Flores is continuing to remake the Miami Dolphins in his own image, and he needed to jettison one of the last remaining Adam Gase holdovers in cornerback Cordrea Tankersley in order to continue reshaping the roster.
Tankersley was activated from Miami’s COVID-19 list, but the fourth-year corner was instantly giving his walking papers, ending his injury-filled stint in Miami. Tankersley, who will be placed on waivers, hasn’t seen the field since the middle of the 2018 season.
Cordrea Tankersley hasn’t had a good go of it in the NFL
Tankersley was picked in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, as Gase pictured the All-ACC corner as the perfect No. 2 corner to Xavien Howard. Given his stickiness in man coverage and versatility showcased under Dabo Swinney and Brent Venables at Clemson, it’s easy to see where Gase was coming from.
After a solid rookie season, Tankersley tore his ACL during the middle of the 2018 season, and things only got worse from there. Tankersley didn’t play a snap in 2019, as another knee injury prevented him from getting on the field. Undrafted free agent Nik Needham playing well in his place sealed Tankersley’s fate under Flores.
After spending a lot of money on Byron Jones, spending a first-round pick on Auburn corner Noah Igbinoghene, and adding Texas safety Brandon Jones in the third, the writing might have been on the wall for Tankersley.
Tankersley is one of the best cornerbacks to wear Clemson orange over the last few years, but injuries and plain old ineffectiveness have all but ruined his chances to stick in Miami. While he has plenty of natural talent that is worth taking a chance on, his health problems might make it hard to convince a team to pick him up after his release.