This offseason, the Miami Dolphins must rebuild their defence at every level.
This offseason, every single aspect of the Miami Dolphins defence needs to be improved, if not completely revamped.
For the next nine months, Miami’s top three pass rushers will recover from severe injuries.
Run stopper, captain of the defence, and emotional leader of the Miami Dolphins Christian Wilkins is a free agent looking for a big $100 million deal.
Due to the franchise’s cap restrictions, the inside linebacker and cornerback units will probably be in transition, and there is currently only one safety under contract.
That implies that unless General Manager Chris Grier can find a way to hold onto a few starters, Vic Fangio’s team may be facing a significant rebuild.
When a team has an owner like Steve Ross, who is ready to give out significant signing and roster bonuses, anything is possible, even though Miami is $49 million over the projected cap and needs to make a lot of cost-cutting moves to sign free players.
The Dolphins can only avoid the NFL’s stringent financial model in this fashion, deferring the franchise’s debt for a further season in order to allow the 2023 team to pay it off in 2024.
It’s always vital to evaluate the talent that is currently in-house when we start the offseason, which formally begins on March 11 with the legal tampering period. This helps us determine what’s probably on the shopping list.
Here’s a breakdown of the Dolphins’ existing defensive roster, and a snapshot of the impending free agents.
DOLPHINS EDGE PLAYERS (6)
Signed: Jaelan Phillips (injured), Bradley Chubb (injured), Emmanuel Ogbah, Cameron Goode (injured), Quinton Bell, Zeke Vandenburgh
Free agents: Andrew Van Ginkel (injured), Justin Houston, Bruce Irvin, Melvin Ingram, Malik Reed
Analysis: This unit helped the Dolphins set a franchise record for sacks in a season (56), and did it without the top three edge players finishing the season because of the Achilles tendon injury Phillips suffered in November, the ACL injury Chubb suffered in December, and the Lisfranc foot injury Van Ginkel suffered in January.
The fact that four edge players (Goode too) are facing at least nine month rehabilitation periods could make adding an edge player, or two in free agency or the draft a top priority. The Dolphins are expected to release Ogbah, which is a move that will clear at least $13.7 million in cap space.
Re-signing Van Ginkel will likely be a priority since he’s one of Fangio’s favorites, but don’t be surprised if he signs with the highest bidder, attempting to maximize his breakout season in 2023. The way Reed performed in the playoff game should make him a veteran Miami re-signs, especially since he’s familiar with Fangio’s scheme, and is a core special teams contributor.
DOLPHINS DEFENSIVE TACKLES (2)
Signed: Zach Sieler, Brandon Pili
Free agents: Christian Wilkins, Raekwon Davis, Da’Shawn Hand, Byron Cowart, Justin Ellis
Analysis: Wilkins and Sieler collectively had the most productive season a Dolphins defensive tackle tandem has ever had, collectively contributing 128 tackles, 19 sacks, forcing two fumbles and recovering another four. They were the main factors that allowed the Dolphins defense to rank seventh defending the run (97.1 rushing yards allowed per game). Davis, who contributed 28 tackles and half a sack, will likely shop himself to a team that is more suited for his skillset, and if he leaves the Dolphins will need to find a new nose tackle.
Miami’s biggest challenge this offseason will be retaining Wilkins, who is seeking a multi-year deal in the neighborhood of the five-year, $105 million contract the Jets gave Quinnen Williams last offseason. The Dolphins will likely need to use the franchise tag ($18.9 million) to keep Wilkins off the market for the start of free agency, but signing the durable defensive tackle to a multi-year deal would be more ideal because it’s less strenuous on the salary cap.
DOLPHINS INSIDE LINEBACKERS (4)
Signed: Jerome Baker (injured), David Long Jr., Duke Riley, Channing Tindall
Free agents: Calvin Munson, Alexander Johnson (injured)
Analysis: Baker, Long and Riley all had productive seasons when healthy, but Miami might be ending Baker’s six-year run as a starter for the Dolphins because releasing him would create $9.8 million in cap space, and the Dolphins need to tighten the payroll. It’s also possible Miami could restructure Baker’s contract, bringing him back at a lower salary, something more comparable to the two-year, $10 million deal Miami gave Long last offseason.
Baker’s banishment would elevate Riley into a full-time starting role, or make the inside linebacker spot a priority in free agency, or the 2024 NFL draft. That’s only because Tindall, the Dolphins’ third-round pick in the 2022 draft, hasn’t developed in his two seasons, and could be on borrowed time because of his slow play speed. The Dolphins need at least two more inside linebackers on the roster for depth purposes, and for special teams support.
DOLPHINS CORNERBACKS (6)
Signed: Jalen Ramsey, Xavien Howard (injured), Kader Kohou, Cam Smith, Ethan Bonner, Keion Crossen
Free agents: Eli Apple, Justin Bethel, Nik Needham, Parry Nickerson
Analysis: Ramsey and Howard were one of the NFL’s top cornerback duos when they were both healthy for a midseason stretch. During that period the Dolphins defense rose in their standing, getting as high as the NFL’s fourth best defense heading into the Ravens loss. Unfortunately, that stretch of games was short lived because of Howard’s season-ending foot injury, which happened on the first snap of the Ravens game.
And now it appears Miami and Howard will go their separate ways because of the team’s cap constraints. Waiving Howard as a June 1 release would create $18.5 million in cap space, and unless they can offer him a deal that would motivate him to stay, the longest tenured Dolphins will become an unrestricted free agent before the start of free agency. Unfortunately, a cornerback who could replace Howard doesn’t appear to be on the roster because of Apple’s struggles, Kohou’s regression (131.0 passer rating when targeted), and Miami’s unwillingness to play Smith, the team’s 2023 second-round pick, as a rookie (20 defensive snaps).
DOLPHINS SAFETIES (1)
Signed: Jevon Holland (injured)
Free agents: Brandon Jones, DeShon Elliott, Elijah Campbell (RFA)
Analysis: The Dolphins head into the offseason with Holland as the only safety under contract, and considering he’s slated to make $1.85 million in the final year of his rookie deal don’t be surprised if he sits out the offseason program campaigning for a new deal, one that pays him like a top 10 safety. However, it shouldn’t be too challenging to retain any of the team’s three free agent safeties. But at what cost? Campbell, a core special teamer, is a restricted free agent that Miami could tender.
But that would cost Miami $2.8 million, which seems somewhat high for a core special teams contributor. Keep in mind Miami signed Elliott to be a starter for $1.8 million last offseason. Elliott and Jones will likely test the free agent market to see if they could land multi-year deals elsewhere. It would probably be ideal for the Dolphins to seek an upgrade at the spot opposite Holland because Elliott struggled from a coverage standpoint (140.8 passer rating when targeted), and contributed one interception and one forced fumble in the 15 games he played. To make this defense a top five unit Miami needs two versatile free safeties, playmakers who have range and coverage skills.
DOLPHINS SPECIAL TEAMS (3)
Signed: K Jason Sanders, LS Blake Ferguson
Free agent: P Jake Bailey, Return specialist Braxton Berrios
Analysis: The Dolphins decided to restructure Sanders’ contact during the season. The move has lowered the kicker’s cap hit from $3.7 million to $2.4 million last season. But Sanders, who made 24-of-28 field goals last season, and missed just one extra point, is due nearly $3.8 million in 2024. That makes him the fourth highest paid kicker in the NFL. The Dolphins would create $2.4 million in cap space releasing Sanders. Bailey is a free agent, which means the Dolphins will either re-sign him or move onto another punter. Miami will also be shopping for a kickoff and punt returner if Berrios, who earned $3.5 million in 2023, isn’t re-signed.
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