Keith Cooper Jr.

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Dolphins secured solid value with Keith Cooper Jr.'s two-year, $1.9M deal, earning a C+ CVI that reflects a fair market transaction for a rotational defensive tackle. At just $950K annually, Miami is paying appropriate compensation for a player who profiles as a depth piece capable of contributing in specific packages without breaking the salary structure. Cooper's relatively modest deal suggests he's in the early stages of his career arc, making this a low-risk investment with potential upside if he develops into a more consistent contributor. The contract structure works in Miami's favor with minimal guaranteed money exposure, allowing them flexibility to evaluate his progress without significant financial commitment. This represents exactly the type of prudent roster building teams should pursue in the middle tiers — acquiring functional depth at market rates while preserving cap space for premium positions.

Performance Analysis

Keith Cooper Jr. is a replacement-level defensive tackle through one game of his rookie season, and the D+ performance grade reflects a player who has not yet carved out a meaningful role in Miami's defensive front. With just a single game of data to evaluate, there is virtually no statistical foundation to identify a clear strength — the sample size is too thin to draw conclusions about his pass-rush effectiveness, run-stopping ability, or snap share contribution. The most glaring weakness right now is simply availability and impact: one game in is not a track record, and for a 23-year-old undrafted contributor on a $1.0M salary, the burden of proof is steep. His contract value earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI), which has held steady over the last 30 days — a reflection of the rock-bottom financial commitment Miami is making, which limits the downside but also signals the organization sees him as depth insurance rather than a rotational building block. The mediaFraming around Cooper is telling: he generates no national attention, no injury reports, no trade chatter — the hallmark of a roster filler occupying a quiet depth role while the front office adds pieces around him. Miami's recent offseason activity has been focused on specialists and skill positions, which does nothing to elevate his standing on the depth chart. Until Cooper logs meaningful snaps and produces in-game evidence, the D+ grade is not a ceiling — it is simply the honest verdict on a rookie with an undefined body of work.