Dolphins look to keep some of their own - at the right price. And Miami’s Cowboy conundrum
A six-pack of Miami Dolphins notes on a Saturday, as we barrel toward the start of legal free agent conversations on Monday and player signings on Wednesday:
▪ The Dolphins have shown interest in retaining some of their own unrestricted free agents, but at their price point.
Sources who have spoken to the team said Miami has expressed interest in keeping - among others - running back Duke Johnson and linebackers Duke Riley and Brennan Scarlett. (And Miami’s interest in retaining defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah is widely known, though the sides have been unable to agree on numbers in months of discussions.)
There are other UFAs they will try to retain, but those were the names conveyed.
The Dolphins likely would offer each a modest deal.
Johnson, signed to the Dolphins’ practice squad on Oct. 26 and promoted to the 53-man roster in December, impressed everyone by running for 330 yards on 4.6 per carry in five games and four starts.
Riley and Scarlett provided solid depth at linebacker last season, with each earning $1.1 million. They’ll likely have options elsewhere if they don’t re-sign with Miami.
The Dolphins’ other impending unrestricted free agents: tight end Durham Smythe (Dolphins value him but there’s likely a price point Miami won’t surpass), receivers Will Fuller (unlikely to be back) and Mack Hollins and Albert Wilson; quarterback Jacoby Brissett (Dolphins are expected to at least explore other backup QB options); running back Phillip Lindsay (his skill set fits Miami’s zone blocking scheme); cornerback Justin Coleman; linebacker Elandon Roberts; punter Michael Palardy; running back Malcolm Brown; safety Jason McCourty (coming off a season-ending foot injury) and guard/center Greg Mancz.
▪ Among the Dolphins’ six restricted free agents, cornerback Nik Needham - given a second-round tender - has been the only one tendered to this point. And he might be the only one tendered.
If the Dolphins do not tender Preston Williams, Sam Eguavoen, Patrick Laird, Sheldrick Redwine and Jamal Perry, they would become unrestricted free agents.
It would be a mild surprise if any of those five are tendered by Wednesday’s 4 p.m. deadline.
▪ The Dolphins are among the teams who have been linked to two prominent Cowboys - receiver Amari Cooper, who is being shopped, and offensive tackle La’el Collins, who has been given permission to seek a trade.
Update: The Cowboys are trading Cooper to Cleveland.
Miami is said to have interest in both, but a trade for Cooper is unrealistic without a contract restructure. Dallas reportedly will release both players if they’re not dealt. Both are under contract through 2024.
Tendering Needham left the Dolphins with a bit over $48 million in cap space. Acquiring Cooper (due $20 million in 2022) without restructuring his contract would drop Miami’s space to $28 million, an untenable number considering the Dolphins need to re-sign Ogbah (or sign a replacement), sign at least one starting offensive lineman and a backup quarterback and inside linebacker and depth at various positions, and keep another $12 million or so for the draft, a practice squad and room to add players later this summer in the event of injury.
If the Dolphins acquire only Collins - a player they’ve had interest in previously - without a contract restructure, Miami’s cap space would drop to $38 million. Collins is due to earn $10 million in 2022.
The 2022 cap hit for a team acquiring a player via trade would include his base salary, roster bonus and workout bonus. The signing bonus proration would go on the cap of the team trading him.
The Dolphins don’t necessarily need to cut veterans to create cap space during the first couple of days of free agency. But veterans always appreciate if they’re told sooner than later, so they can line up new jobs.
Dolphins players under contract who could be at risk, from a cap standpoint, include Jesse Davis ($4.6 million cap number if he’s on the team, $1 million dead money if he’s not), Eric Rowe ($5.1 million cap hit if he’s on the team, $525,000 dead money hit if he’s not), receiver Allen Hurns ($3 million cap hit if he’s on the team, $433,334 dead money hit if he’s not), safety Clayton Fejedelem ($2.8 million cap hit if he’s on the team; no cap hit if he’s not), H-back Cethan Carter ($2.5 million cap hit if he’s on the team, no cap hit if he’s not), offensive tackle Greg Little ($1.5 million if he’s on the team; no cap hit if he’s not) and defensive lineman Adam Butler ($4.2 million cap hit if he’s on the team; no cap hit if he’s not).
Releasing those seven players would create another $21.6 million in cap space. The Dolphins, in this specific scenario, theoretically could trade for Cooper with his current contract and still have $48 million in cap space.
▪ Expect the Dolphins to have interest in fullback Alec Ingold, who isn’t expected to be tendered by Las Vegas.
Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith coached Ingold with the Raiders, and the Dolphins are believed to hold him in high regard.
A skilled blocker, Ingold has rushed 15 times for 22 yards and caught 28 passes for 239 yards (8.5 average) in 41 games and 11 starts for the Raiders over three seasons.
The Dolphins had some interest in Ingold in 2019 when he went undrafted out of Wisconsin and now are running an offense that uses a fullback at times.
Ingold, 25, is coming off a torn ACL sustained in Week 10 but should be ready for the start of the season.
McDaniel was the 49ers’ offensive coordinator last season and the 49ers utilized a lead blocker on 40.3 percent of their running plays in 2021, by far the most in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus’ Ryan Smith.
The Dolphins did that 6.5 percent of the time, which was 18th. The league average was 11.7 percent.
The 49ers had two running backs in the backfield 25.1 percent of the time, the Dolphins 6.2 percent.
▪ Though the Dolphins have said they have shut the door on any pursuit of Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson, his situation impacts the Dolphins in this regard:
Potential options to be Tua Tagovailoa’s backup - including Marcus Mariota - will know where they will have an opportunity to compete for a starting job based on where Watson is traded.
And that likely would make these players wait to see the Watson situation sorted out before agreeing to come to a team where they would not have a chance to compete to start (such as the Dolphins).
Mitch Trubisky is unlikely for Miami; he’ll likely find an opportunity to compete for a starting job elsewhere.
▪ Jason Taylor, who took a job on Mario Cristobal’s Miami Hurricanes football staff, hasn’t decided whether to keep his Dolphins broadcasting jobs, which include preseason television with Steve Goldstein and regular season radio with Jimmy Cefalo and Joe Rose.
Taylor is still getting a feel for what his schedule will be with the Hurricanes. He will serve as an analyst for UM, which traditionally involves tape evaluation and contributing ideas.
He also will work with UM’s defensive linemen and pass rushers, in accordance with NCAA rules for staffers who don’t have coaching titles.
Taylor has developed into a very good broadcaster. If he leaves either the TV or radio jobs, O.J. McDuffie - who hosts the popular Fish Tank podcast with Seth Levit - would be a worthy candidate to succeed him.
This story was originally published March 12, 2022 at 1:31 PM.
