NFL Analysis
2/12/25
6 min read
2025 NFL Free Agency: 5 Best Fits For Miami Dolphins S Jevon Holland
In a free agent class loaded with talent at other positions, Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland stands out as the top available safety.
A second-round pick in 2021, Holland has played a key role in Miami's defense during the last four seasons despite playing through three different defensive coordinators. He has typically thrived in a single-high safety role but also provided some pass-rushing ability as a rookie.
Now that his contract has expired, Holland can look for some opportunities to make the most of his skill set in a more stable environment. The 33rd Team's Dan Pizzuta has Holland ranked as the No. 4 available free agent this offseason, so let's break down some potential landing spots for the 24-year-old safety.
Jevon Holland Landing Spots
Carolina Panthers 
The Carolina Panthers only have $20 million in cap space to work with this offseason. There will also be significant roster turnover, with more than half of the 53-man roster set to hit free agency.
However, safety is one of Carolina's biggest needs heading into this offseason. Only one of its five safeties from this past season is still under contract for 2025, and Demani Richardson isn't exactly an impact player in the defensive backfield.
Ejiro Evero has been one of the fastest-rising defensive coaches in football and could be an appealing coach for Holland to work with. He spent significant time with the secondary and safeties for the Los Angeles Rams from 2017 through 2021 and has developed some legitimate defensive backs during his coaching career.
The Panthers aren't the most appealing team from a Super Bowl contention standpoint, but this is a young team that showed signs of turning things around last year and could make a competitive offer to Holland if they can rework some other contracts.
New York Giants
There's a lot of optimism in New York with the potential of a new Giants quarterback, but there are other big needs for this team to get back to the playoffs.
The defense has found some exciting and promising young cornerbacks in the last couple of drafts in Dru Phillips, Deonte Banks, and Cor'Dale Flott. Even safety Tyler Nubin showed real flashes as a rookie in 2024, racking up 98 tackles and a forced fumble with zero touchdowns allowed in coverage.
While Nubin has looked like a solid box safety, the Giants could use a more traditional free safety to roam over the top of the secondary to come away with game-changing turnovers. That's a role that Holland could play with five career interceptions and 25 pass breakups.
Youth can only take the Giants' secondary so far, so adding an experienced veteran like Holland in the backfield, who is still just 24 years old, could be the ideal Xavier McKinney replacement after not having the first-team All-Pro in 2024.
Los Angeles Chargers
There's a sleeping giant in the AFC West that might end up having one of the best defenses in the league in 2025.
The Los Angeles Chargers saw a big leap forward as a defense under head coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter in their first year with the team. After ranking a lowly 26th in defensive DVOA in 2023, the Chargers jumped all the way up to ninth this past season.
Minter and Harbaugh can continue to build their vision for the defense this offseason. With $63 million in cap space and double-digit free agents on defense, the team can determine which players are long-term fits.
Derwin James is a star chess piece when healthy, but the Chargers have just one other safety under contract, Alohi Gilman. A deep safety like Holland could come in and handle all of the responsibilities in deep-zone coverages, allowing James to continue to work all over the field and wreak havoc.
The Chargers may want to focus on free agents in the cornerback market, given their departures there, but the 2025 NFL Draft has tons of talent at cornerback, which could have Joe Hortiz turning his attention to free-agent safeties like Holland.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots will be in on almost every conversation for a top free agent, and for good reason.
Besides having a depleted roster outside of Drake Maye and Christian Gonzalez, the Patriots also have a ridiculous $120 million in cap space. The Las Vegas Raiders have the second-most cap space at $92 million, and no other team has more than $75 million.
The Patriots have some intriguing names at safety, but none of them appear to be difference-makers. Jabrill Peppers looked like a legitimate asset early in 2024 but missed significant time on the commissioner's exempt list and could be a cap casualty in the 2026 offseason if he doesn't perform in 2025.
Regardless of who has potential and who doesn't, the Patriots need talent everywhere to build a sustainable playoff contender around Maye. Their defense was ranked 30th by DVOA, and they need to focus on adding playmakers like Holland to give it a much-needed spark.
Indianapolis Colts
Chris Ballard has spent too much time being content with the state of his secondary, and it's time for the Indianapolis Colts to take some big swings this offseason, both in free agency and the draft.
The emergence of seventh-round pick Jaylon Jones, plus a reliable veteran nickel in Kenny Moore and a hopefully healthy JuJu Brents, puts the Colts in a better situation at cornerback than some might think. However, the safety room isn't in nearly as good shape.
While Nick Cross showed real promise as a full-time starter as a box safety in 2024, Julian Blackmon has failed to take a big step forward in recent years and is now a free agent. The Colts could let Blackmon walk to explore a deal with another team while taking a swing at an exciting free agent at the position in Holland.
The Colts are taking a defensive rebuild seriously, tabbing Lou Anarumo as their next defensive coordinator. The former Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator did a terrific job in previous seasons before struggling with a lack of talent in recent years but should be given a fairly long leash in Indianapolis.
With $28 million in cap space and some cuts and restructures coming soon, the Colts should have the financial flexibility to pursue a legitimate defensive playmaker like Holland to bolster their secondary.
