Dolphins updates: Miami signs five; Regime heads to Georgia; more from Day 3 of free agency
Welcome back to the Miami Herald’s around-the-clock Dolphins free agent blog.
Keep checking back all day for updates:
4:45 p.m. update: The Dolphins’ biggest move Wednesday was re-signing linebacker Tyrel Dodson, but they also re-signed four others: receiver Dee Eskridge, tackle Jackson Carman, safety Elijah Campbell and linebacker Quinton Bell. The new contracts for Campbell and Bell were previously known.
Eskridge and Carman are returning on what’s believed to be minimum deals.
Eskridge, a former second-round pick by Seattle, had three receptions for 44 yards in six games for Miami last season and averaged 29.2 yards on five kickoff returns.
Eskridge -- who played 37 offensive snaps and 25 special teams snaps for the Dolphins -- joins Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, newcomer Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Malik Washington, Tahj Washington and Erik Ezukanma in the Dolphins’ wide receiver room. River Cracraft and Grant DuBose are unsigned free agents.
With Carman, the Dolphins now have thee veteran backup tackles under contract, joining newcomer Larry Borom (the former Bears player) and inexperienced Kion Smith, who missed last season with a knee injury.
Also under contract: starting left tackle Terron Armstead (who hasn’t said if he’s playing next season), right tackle Austin Jackson and second-year player Patrick Paul, who likely would start at left tackle if Armstead retires or is released.
Carman, who has appeared in 30 NFL games with seven starts, played 68 snaps over eight games for Miami in 2024 after three previous seasons in Cincinnati. Because of injuries, he started Miami’s Dec. 15 loss at Houston. He allowed one sack and three pressures in 50 pass blocking snaps for Miami last season, per Pro Football Focus.
2 p.m.: The NFL gave the Dolphins an additional $3.6 million in carry-over space on Wednesday, giving Miami an adjusted cap figure of $285.9 million.
Per Spotrac.com, that left Miami with $14 million or so in space, but before the contracts of Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Tyrel Dodson, Ashtyn Davis and Larry Borom are factored in. The Dolphins likely have in the range of $8 million in space and can create more by restructuring contracts of several veterans, including Jordyn Brooks and Zach Sieler.
Only the top 51 contracts count against a team’s cap.
11 a.m.: The Dolphins have several key people at Georgia Pro Day, including coach Mike McDaniel, general manager Chris Grier and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.
Two Bulldogs - safety Malaki Starks and outside linebacker Mykel Williams - are projected for Miami’s draft range at 13. Georgia inside libacker Jalon Walker also is considered a sure-fire first round pick; Kiper has him going eighth.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid has Georgia center Jared Wilson (who ran the fastest 40 of any offensive lineman at the Combine) going in the second round. Wilson played 79 snaps at guard for Georgia and could be an option there.
What’s more, Georgia’s Dylan Fairchild and Tate Ratledge are rated by Kiper as the fifth and seventh guards in this draft class.
9:45 a.m.: Reasonably priced defensive tackles continue to come off the board, with Tampa Bay’s Greg Gaines the latest just now (one year, $3.5 million). The good news is there are still more than 45 available defensive tackles and defensive ends who can play in a 3-4 defense like Miami’s.
With Zach Sieler the only proven particularly proven defensive tackle under contract, the Dolphins really want to keep Calais Campbell, who has been figuring out what he wants to do in 2025. They’ve talked to Benito Jones about a return. They like Da’Shawn Hand very much. All three of those players are free agents.
Defensive tackle and cornerback are the most pressing issues heading into the rest of the week.
9:30 a.m.: Wednesday began when the Dolphins and linebacker Tyrel Dodson concluded weeks of discussions by agreeing to a two-year deal that could be worth as much as $8.25 million.
A source said the sides weren’t particularly close three days ago - even though there was always mutual interest - but Miami raised its offer a bit and Dodson went down on his asking price. Over the past 48 hours, Miami engaged with Denver-bound Dre Greenlaw but didn’t come close to his asking price and poked around on other inside linebackers. But they were always comfortable bringing back Dodson to play with Jordyn Brooks.
Dodson, signed by the Dolphins after his release from Seattle last season, appeared in eight games and started three filling in for injured Anthony Walker Jr., who is a free agent. Dodson had 36 tackles and three interceptions for Miami.
Between the Dolphins and Seattle, he finished with 107 tackles. Dodson, 26, played his first four years with Buffalo.
This story was originally published March 12, 2025 at 9:58 AM.
