9 p.m. live updates: More Dolphins free agents leave. Three ex-QBs on Willis
The free agent doors swung open to the Dolphins and the rest of the league at noon on Monday. Teams can now negotiate with players from other teams, but nobody can sign with a new team before 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Please keep checking back all day for updates:
Starting guard departs
Cole Strange, who was plucked by the Dolphins off waivers from Cleveland early last season and became a serviceable starter, joined the Los Angeles Chargers on a two-year, $13 million deal on Monday night, ESPN reported.
After James Daniels’ season-ending Week 1 injury, Strange became the Dolphins starter at right guard in Week 4 and kept the job all season. He yielded 21 pressures and two sacks in 457 pass-blocking snaps, which wasn’t bad. But as a run blocker, PFF rated only Jonah Savaiinaea worse than Strange among Miami’s starting offensive linemen. PFF slotted Strange 58th of 81 qualifying NFL guards this past season.
He joins Alec Ingold and offensive line coach Butch Barry among former Dolphins who have joined coach John Harbaugh and former Dolphins coach (and Chargers offensive coordinator) Mike McDaniel in Los Angeles.
Strange’s departure, coupled with Daniels’ release last month, leaves Miami needing at least one starting guard and potentially two if they decide that they prefer former second-round pick Savaiinaea as a backup this season. Savaiinaea led all NFL guards in sacks and pressures permitted, per PFF.
Long snapper departs
A third Dolphins unrestricted free agent agreed to terms elsewhere on Monday, when long snapper Joe Cardona agreed to a two-year deal with the Rams.
Cardona, 33, spent one season with the Dolphins after spending the previous 10 seasons with the Patriots.
Among Dolphins who were always scheduled to be unrestricted free agents, he joins punter Jake Bailey (Falcons) and offensive tackle Larry Borom (Lions) as Monday departures.
Dolphins keep Dulcich
5:45 p.m. update: The Dolphins agreed to terms with tight end Greg Dulcich on a one-year, $3.25 million deal, as ESPN reported and a source confirmed.
We noted last week that the Dolphins identified Dulcich as one of their own free agents that they wanted to keep.
He joined the Dolphins practice squad late last August, two days after being cut by the Giants, was promoted to Miami’s active roster on Oct. 22 and caught 26 passes for 335 yards and a touchdown in 10 games and three starts.
Dulcich said late in the season that he would love to return to Miami.
The Dolphins other tight ends are also free agents. Darren Waller is an unrestricted free agent and Julian Hill is a restricted free agent; Miami would need to offer Hill $3.5 million to tender him and retain right of first refusal on outside offers.
Tagovailoa agrees to deal with Falcons
4:40 p.m. update: Just eight hours after the Dolphins announced they will be releasing Tua Tagovailoa, the 2023 NFL passing leader found a new team on Monday, agreeing to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons, who will pay him the league minimum $1.3 million.
Tagovailoa will compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the Falcons’ starting job.
The Dolphins will be required to pay $52.7 million of the $54 million he’s guaranteed next season; the Falcons will pay the other $1.3 million.
Dolphins receive no compensatory draft pick
4:30 p.m. update: The NFL announced just now that it’s awarding 33 compensatory picks in this year’s draft, but the Dolphins aren’t among the 15 teams receiving them.
The Dolphins, at one point, seemed positioned to get a pick after losing Jevon Holland to the Giants in free agency. But the Dolphins’ addition of several veterans negated Holland’s departure. And the league’s complex formula, which factors in playing time and assorted other dynamics, left Miami without any additional picks.
The Dolphins have nine picks in the draft: one in the first round (11th), one in the second round (43rd), three in the third (75, 87, 90), one in the fourth (111), one in the fifth (149) and two in the seventh (227 and the Chargers’ pick, expected in the range of 246, via the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade with the Jets.
General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has said the Dolphins are more likely to trade down than trade up in the draft.
Dolphins offensive lineman moves on
3:40 p.m. update: Dolphins free agent tackle Larry Borom agreed to a contract with his hometown Detroit Lions, according to multiple reports. He made 11 starts for the Dolphins last season while filling in for starting right guard Austin Jackson during his September and October recovery from a foot injury.
Willis contract details
2:45 p.m. update: Details on Malik Willis’ three-year, $66.7 million Dolphins contract have leaked, and the Dolphins are guaranteeing his salary only for the first two years of the three-year deal.
Willis received a $22.25 million signing bonus, with a fully guaranteed base salary of $1.25 million for 2026. That low base salary - combined with the prorated signing bonus - keeps Willis’ cap number at a very manageable $8.7 million in 2026. That’s about the amount of cap space the Dolphins had Monday morning after trading Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Jets.
Willis’ cap hit jumps dramatically to $28.9 million in 2027; that season, he’s due $21.5 million in base salary (fully guaranteed).
His $20.5 million base salary in 2028 is not guaranteed. He would have a $29.2 million cap hit if he’s on the team that season under the current contract terms.
Former NFL QB raves about Willis, but Warner has mixed views
2 p.m. update: More former NFL quarterbacks are weighing in on the Dolphins’ addition of Malik Willis.
Ex-veteran backup Chase Daniel, who works for ESPN and others, said: “Malik Willis is worth it all for the Dolphins The film is so much better than you think…timing, touch, & anticipation.”
On X, Daniels showed a Willis pass last season where he brilliantly looked off Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith and delivered a “perfect” throw for a sizable gain. Daniel said he throws it “almost like Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love like. It’s not only like you can run it, you can run RPO. This dude can sling it.”
Less convinced was former NFL MVP Kurt Warner, who reviewed tape of Willis’ two years with the Packers. Even though Willis completed 70 of 89 passes as Love’s backup, Warner found only 28 passing plays in which Willis had to play “out of structure” and do something beyond screens or dump offs.
Warner broke down the tape of those plays, which included some nifty passes but also some “errant throws.”
“Twenty eight plays, you see some good, some bad,” Warner said. “You see some good moments against pressure, you see some struggles against pressure. Who is he?”
Warner criticized his ball placement on some throws. “You might be watching this saying ‘Kurt is overly critical.’ I’m sorry. These are all the plays I have to work work.”
But Warner then mentioned something that particularly impressed him: “We’ve seen a lot of good throws down the field... Most of them have been accurate. For the most part, when he has made the throws down the field, he has been accurate with those throws. Huge plus.
“There are some big time starter-level throws on this tape. There are others that have me scratching my head a little bit. This is a tough, tough evaluation for me.”
Keep in mind that new Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley saw Willis not only in games, but in Packers practices for two years.
Dolphins reach deal with Willis; Orlovsky weighs in
12:45 p.m. update: The Dolphins have found their quarterback of the future, agreeing to terms with Malik Willis on a three-year, $67 million deal. The deal comes with $45 million guaranteed.
Willis, a former third-round pick of the Titans, lasted only two years in Tennessee before he was dealt to Green Bay in August 2024 in exchange for a seventh-round pick. Willis thrived as Jordan Love’s backup the past two seasons, producing a 134.6 passer rating, six touchdowns, no interceptions, while completing 70 of 89 passes for 972 yards and a 2-1 record in three starts.
ESPN’s Ryan Clark said recently the Dolphins must do everything to try to sign him. “If you’re the Dolphins, how can you get this to work out?” Clark said. “How can you get Malik Willis in your building? We’ve seen him become a better passer. We know what type of athleticism he has. “He is going to get a good wage on the market. Can you work it out contractually to get you [what can] be a franchise starter now that he’s developed.”
ESPN’s Mina Kimes, recently: “He’s got a cannon, incredible dual threat quarterback.”
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky said Monday that offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik runs a “very similar system to what Matt LaFleur ran in Green Bay. Malik Willis will be able to go there right away and won’t necessarily have to learn this brand new system or style. It’s going to be under center, on rhythm, on time, play action, outside the pocket. I’m not telling everyone this guy is going to be the next top five quarterback. He has a chance to open some eyes immediately. Malik Willis is just scratching the surface of what he could be.
“We have seen so many quarterbacks over the last couple years who were afterthoughts blossom into real good players. You can design a quarterback run game for him. You can do some zone read stuff. It elevates your offense. He’s plenty capable as a passer.”
Dolphins plan to pursue Willis
12:30 p.m. update: As we’ve reported for the past week, the Dolphins are interested in Packers free agent quarterback Malik Willis and will make an attempt to sign him, a source reiterated.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter said the Dolphins are “in play” for Willis.
We’ve been told that general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan thinks highly of Willis and his upside after watching him for two years in Green Bay.
Tagovailoa linked to Falcons
11:30 a.m. update: The Atlanta Falcons are making a strong push to sign Tua Tagovailoa and a deal could happen today, NFL Network reported.
Tagovailoa played very well in the Dolphins’ 34-10 win at Atlanta on Oct. 17, completing 20 of 26 passes for 205 yards and four touchdowns. He has a 124.9 passer rating, eight touchdowns and two interceptions in his career against Atlanta.
He would give the Falcons a second left-handed quarterback, in addition to former eighth overall pick Michael Penix Jr.
If Tagovailoa signs a one-year deal at the league minimum $1.3 million, then Miami would pay him $52.7 million this season and the Falcons would pay him $1.3 million.
Cap consequences
11 a.m. update: Per NFL rules, the Dolphins can release no more than two players with post-June 1 designations. We now know for sure that Tua Tagovailoa will be one of them. Bradley Chubb would be the logical second one, though he could be cut without that designation if the Dolphins need more immediate cap space.
The Dolphins are carrying Chubb’s $31.2 million cap hit at the moment, even though they plan to release him this week. If they cut him without a post-June 1 designation, his 2026 Dolphins cap hit drops from $31.2 million to $23.8 million and Miami can use that additional $7 million in cap space immediately.
If the Dolphins designate Chubb a post-June 1 cut, his $31.2 million stays on Miami’s books until June 2, at which point it would be replaced by a $10.9 million dead money cap hit for 2026. So designating Chubb a post June 1 cut would create an additional $13 million in cap space than releasing him this week without that designation.
The Dolphins’ only other potential option for a post June 1 would appear to be Austin Jackson, but general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has said he expects him to be on the team.
The Dolphins saved $6 million in cap space by trading Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Jets; that’s the exact same amount Miami would have saved by cutting him without a post-June 1 designation. (And Miami got a seventh-round pick to boot by trading him rather than cutting him.)
If the Dolphins had used their second post-June 1 cut designation on Fitzpatrick instead of Chubb, Miami would have saved $15 million instead of $6 million in cap space on Fitzpatrick, but none of that $15 million could have been used until June 2. Instead, Miami received that $6 million in space that it needs now. (Keep in mind that there are no post-June 1 designations allowed for trades.)
Dolphins trade Fitzpatrick
9:30 a.m. update: The Dolphins are trading safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Jets for a seventh-round pick, a move that will create nearly $6 million in cap space for Miami. That will give Miami $10 million in space entering the start of free agency at noon.
If the Dolphins had kept Fitzpatrick, he would have had an $18.8 million cap hit. By trading him, Fitzpatrick’s cap hit on the Dolphins’ 2026 books will be $12.9 million. It would have been higher than $12.9 million if Miami had been required to pay any of his salary. But the Jets are paying all of his salary and reportedly are giving him a new three-year, $40 million deal.
Fitzpatrick played one season for the Dolphins after being acquired from Pittsburgh for Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. His departure leaves Dante Trader Jr. as the only experienced safety on Miami’s roster.
The seventh-round pick acquired by Miami in the trade actually had belonged to the Los Angeles Chargers. Miami now has nine picks in April’s draft.
Fitzpatrick’s salary cap hit would have been the same for Miami as a pre-June 1 cut. So by trading him, Miami acquired a seventh-rounder.
Dolphins to release Tagovailoa
8 a.m. update: The Dolphins are releasing Tua Tagovailoa, as expected. He will get a post-June 1 designation (which will make his 2026 cap hit $67 million instead of $99 million for the Dolphins). Here are a lot more details.
The Dolphins are expected to pursue Malik Willis when free agency begins at noon. If they cannot afford him, they are expected to pivot to a veteran option to compete with Quinn Ewers. Those options include Jimmy Garoppolo, Geno Smith (who reportedly would like to join the Dolphins), Kirk Cousins and Tyrod Taylor, among others.
This story was originally published March 9, 2026 at 9:43 AM with the headline "9 p.m. live updates: More Dolphins free agents leave. Three ex-QBs on Willis."
