Former Bengals CB Eli Apple is a good fit for Dolphins after losing Jalen Ramsey

Former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Eli Apple signed with the Miami Dolphins on Saturday on a one-year contract to replace the injured Jalen Ramsey. Apple wore the orange and black for two seasons in an already troubled career for the 10th overall pick in 2016. Signing with the Dolphins marks his fifth team in six years, solidifying himself as a plug-in player without any long-term outlook. 

No reunion for Eli Apple and the Bengals

This news follows reports of Jalen Ramsey, a huge free agent acquisition for Miami through a trade with Los Angeles, going down in camp with a knee injury. While Ramsey will miss the first half of the season, Apple figures to slot in as the starting right cornerback.

Although Apple had many missteps in a tumultuous career for the 27-year-old, the Dolphins secondary might be a decent fit for him. He will be opposite four-time Pro Bowler Xavien Howard, and supplemented by two decent safeties in Holland and Elliott. This looks to be one of the better defenses that Apple will play in, also allowing him to defer to a rotational role upon Ramsey's return.

It appears that the Bengals wanted to move forward with a younger and cheaper secondary, but Apple brings starting experience to whatever team he plays on. While his notorious trash talk can damage team morale, he can be a more than serviceable starting cornerback when called upon. 

It’s clear that Apple has not lived up to his first-round billing, even though Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo tried to squeeze everything he could out of the brazen cornerback. He might not be able to walk the talk, but he is a solid signing for a Dolphins team that is needy for a replacement-level cornerback.

NFL fans league-wide will enjoy the camp videos of Eli Apple and Tyreek Hill one-on-one.