Continuing in the AFC East salary cuts, we move onto the Miami Dolphins, who have tough decisions ahead. Miami is coming off a disappointing 6-10 season in which they fired their head coach midseason before hiring Adam Gase away from Chicago at the end of the season. Miami will go into the 2016 off-season with 19 impending free agents including defensive end Olivier Vernon, running back Lamar Miller, guard Shelly Smith and backup quarterback Matt Moore. With so much money tied into Ndamukong Suh (28.6 million this season) along with Ryan Tannehill, Brandon Albert, and Mike Pouncey (each with cap hits over 10 million dollars), the Dolphins may find it difficult to bring back everyone while improving the roster. They enter the 2016 off-season with an estimated 7.4 million dollars in cap space, which may not be enough.
A new head coach and coaching staff typically spells change for a roster. To the benefit of Gase, the Dolphins have a fair amount of talent on the roster already. This could make them hesitant to simply cut big numbers to create space. Restructuring Suh, converting some of his base salary from this season to a signing bonus would free up some space and spread it out over the life of his contract. Releasing Cameron Wake could be another source of cap relief, although that’s unlikely. Signing Wake to an extension could allow the team to space out some of his current cap hit over the next season or two.
Gase will work with general manager Chris Grier and Mike Tannenbaum to shape the roster with the talent that Gase needs to run his systems. Defensive end Quinton Coples and cornerback Brice McCain were already let go this month due to their unsatisfactory performances. Here is a look at other potential cuts that could create cap space without taking on large amounts of dead money for the coming years.
Dolphins Have Tough Decisions Ahead
Cameron Wake
Wake suffered a season-ending injury this past season, forcing him to miss 12 games. When Wake is on the field he is a force, collecting 42 sacks since 2012. Wake also provides opportunities for other linemen such as Suh and Vernon to see one-on-one opportunities to create havoc in the backfield. This is a highly unlikely cut that would free up 8.4 million in cap space with little penalty.
Greg Jennings
Jennings represents the veteran presence in the wide receiver corps for the Dolphins yet was far from productive during the 2015 season. Jennings logged action in 12 games yet only produced 19 receptions for 209 yards and a single touchdown. Given that the Dolphins have Jarvis Landry and Kenny Stills as young explosive playmakers and DeVante Parker coming into his second season, Jennings could be expendable. Miami could opt to re-sign Rishard Matthews as well to further bolster their depth. Releasing Jennings would free up $4 million for this season.
Dion Jordan
Ever since Miami traded up for Jordan in the 2013 draft, he has been costly for the Dolphins. Drafted to boost the pass rush, he has only produced three sacks in 26 games and now currently sits on the team’s Reserve/Suspended list. Jordan’s third violation of the league’s substance abuse policy has rewarded him with a season-long ban and has not put him in any kind of favor with the new coaching staff. Gase and his staff have no ties to Jordan so seeing them move on from him wouldn’t be surprising. It would also free up $3.2 million in cap space.
Earl Mitchell
Earl Mitchell was rumored to be a training camp cut last season after the signing of Suh dedicated a large sum of cap space to paying the defensive line. His release would free up $2.5 million in space. Mitchell played in 12 games in 2015, yet made a minimal impact, contributing only 22 tackles. With youngster Jordan Phillips waiting in the wings, the Dolphins could move on from Mitchell to free up space needed to sign other players.
