The Miami Dolphins special teams makeover continues.
Neal played 372 snaps on special teams last season, compared to only 58 on defense as a reserve cornerback. The 372 special teams snaps tied for most on the team with Quinton Bell, who was re-signed last week after not being tendered as a restricted free agent.
Neal led the Dolphins in special teams tackles with seven, two more than Channing Tindall.
Per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, Neal agreed to a two-year deal with the 49ers.
This comes one year after Neal signed with the Dolphins as an unrestricted free agent after he spent his first six NFL seasons with the Buffalo Bills.
Neal was reunited in Miami with special teams coordinator Danny Crossman, who had coached in Buffalo during his rookie year in 2018.
On defense, Neal was credited with two passes defensed and his opponent passer rating when targeted was an excellent 53.9, per Pro Football Reference. But despite playing all 17 games, Neal wound up sixth in snaps among Dolphins cornerbacks last season behind Jalen Ramsey, Kader Kohou, Kendall Fuller, Storm Duck and Cam Smith.
Neal becomes the seven Dolphins unrestricted free agent to agree to terms with another team, following WR Braxton Berrios, S Jevon Holland, G Robert Jones, LB Anthony Walker Jr., DT Da’Shawn Hand and TE Jack Stoll
With Neal gone, the Dolphins have five cornerbacks who will compete for roles and playing time, alongside Ramsey and nickel corner Kader Kohou.
The group includes recent free agent acquisition Artie Burns, Bonner, Duck, recent waiver claim Roy Cooper Jr., 2023 second-round pick Smith, as well as 2024 practice squad members Isaiah Johnson and Jason Maitre.
It’s almost a certainty the Dolphins will pick up a more established cornerback at some point to handle a starting role, and that player could come via free agency or the 2025 NFL draft.
What is clear is the Dolphins want an established player to replace veteran Kendall Fuller, who was released in mid-February after one season with the team.
