10 Key Miami Dolphins Players Set to Be Free Agents in 2013

Star pass rusher Cameron Wake was just given a four-year, $49 million extension by the Dolphins. Wake was grossly underpaid for his level of production and was also entering his final year of his contract.

Wake was one of many Miami Dolphins players who are entering the last year of their deal.

But not all will see a lucrative contract offer from their current team like Wake did. In most cases, 2012 performance will dictate whether or not they will be a part of the Dolphins in 2013 and beyond.

Not all will be re-signed. As with every offseason's free agent period, some players will find better deals elsewhere, some will no longer fit in the Dolphins' plans, and some simply won't have a spot in the league anymore.

The Dolphins' free agent class of 2013 includes a wide array of entrenched starters, talented role players, and seasoned veterans.

Here are the 10 most important Dolphins' players heading into the last year of their contracts:

Jake Long

No one would question Jake Long's ability, work ethic or character.

The only question about Long right now is his health. The 2008 No.1 overall pick was nagged by biceps and knee injuries in 2011 and missed time for the first time in his career.

Long has said that he is now 100 percent healthy and ready to work towards this coming year, which is the final one in his rookie deal that made him the highest paid lineman in the NFL when he signed it.

The Dolphins would be foolish to let one of the best tackles in the NFL leave in free agency, but Long will likely look to earn that 'highest paid lineman' title back from Joe Thomas, who signed a seven-year, $84 million deal last season.

The Dolphins should do everything they can to lock Long in to be the cornerstone of their offense for years to come.

If all else fails, Miami would be able to buy some time by placing next year's franchise tag on their franchise left tackle.

Brian Hartline

Brian Hartline has never been an overly productive player in his first three seasons in the NFL, but he's always been a reliable target for whoever is under center for the Dolphins.

Many like Hartline's prospects in Joe Philbin's new West Coast offense and some predict a breakout season from the former Ohio State Buckeye. He compares favorably to Jordy Nelson, who had 15 touchdowns in Philbin's offense last year.

This season, Hartline headlines a paltry Dolphins receiving corps along with Davone Bess in what many consider to be one of the worst receiver units the NFL has to offer.

The two players combined for less receiving yards and touchdowns for the Dolphins than Brandon Marshall, who was traded to the Chicago Bears for two third-round draft picks in March, had in 2011.

Nevertheless, Hartline is locked in enough to be one of the leading candidates to sign a new deal before the season starts.

Brandon Fields

The punter can be a crucial and underrated asset to a team, as anyone in the Jacksonville Jaguars front office would tell you.

Dolphins punter Brandon Fields proved to be weapon in 2011, having the third highest punt average and tying for the highest percentage of punts pinned inside the opponent's 20 yard line.

Though nobody really wants to see him on the field unless he's holding for extra points, the Dolphins would be smart to re-sign this guy. Miami has one of the best special teams units in the league and Fields is a big part of that.

Randy Starks

Randy Starks is silently one of the best defensive players on the Dolphins' roster. He was fourth on the team in 2011 with 4.5 sacks and even managed to pick up two interceptions from his defensive end spot.

He has also not missed a game since joining the Dolphins in 2008 and was selected to the 2010 Pro Bowl.

If there's anything holding back the Dolphins from re-signing Starks, it would be the price tag. His salary is already the Dolphins' fourth highest salary cap hit this season, and being in his prime, a new contract won't come cheap if Miami wants to keep him.

Starks' versatility will serve him well as the Dolphins prepare to switch to a 4-3 base defense. If he continues to be a force for Miami's defense this year, it could really make parting with him difficult.

Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush was picked up for a small price from the New Orleans Saints last offseason and paid off big, as Bush was one of the few bright spots of an overall painful year for Dolphins fans.

Bush amassed 1,086 rushing yards last season, more than 500 yards better than his previous career high. He produced a number of memorable highlights down the stretch when the Dolphins managed to pick up some wins.

The former USC standout is a high character veteran who serves as a respected leader in the locker room. He also adds a little star power to a team that lacks well-known (and marketable) personalities.

The negative part of the story is that Bush is approaching the tail end of the average running back's lifespan, has had some injuries in his career and would probably seek a long-term deal to finish out his career.

Further compounding the problems for Bush's Dolphins future was when Miami selected speedy tailback Lamar Miller in the fourth round of the draft. With Miller as the back of the future, Bush may be moving on after this season.

Tony McDaniel

Tony McDaniel is a solid reserve who has done an admirable job filling in for the starters. He has picked up 2.5 sacks in each of the past two seasons, his first two in as a Dolphin.

By all accounts, McDaniel is a reasonably decent backup defensive lineman.

Problem is, he gets paid more than feature players Vontae Davis and Davone Bess, at $3 million per year. Randy Starks' base salary is only $725,000 more than McDaniel's, and he is a productive starter at the same position.

Though he won't get that big of a salary again, McDaniel's future in Miami will hinge on how well he performs in defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle's new scheme. If he can continue to be productive spelling starters, he could get offered a new, albeit smaller, contract with the Dolphins.

Sean Smith

The long, athletic Sean Smith followed a promising 2010 with a disappointing 2011 campaign.

According to Pro Football Focus, opponents had a 90.7 quarterback rating with five touchdowns when throwing at Smith last year, up from an 81.9 rating and one touchdown in the previous year.

Smith, maybe more than any player on this list, needs a good season to stick with the Dolphins beyond 2012.

While possessing all the athletic ability to be a great corner, Smith has gotten into a habit of making mental mistakes and has always been unable to hold on to interceptions. Miami signed former Arizona Cardinal Richard Marshall to play nickel, but he could also provide insurance if Smith is allowed to leave in free agency.

If Smith can solidify his play, the Dolphins could have one of the best cornerback duos in the game along with Vontae Davis.

Anthony Fasano

Anthony Fasano, though not popular with those fans who have Gronkowski-envy, is one of the more underrated tight ends in the league.

However, the Dolphins' tight end of the future is 2012 third-round pick Michael Egnew, who fits in the Jermichael Finley mold of tall, athletic tight ends who can create mismatches in pass coverage.

Egnew is a much different player than Fasano. Always a solid, though seldom used, pass-catching tight end, Fasano provides effective blocking in the run game. Last season, he was even used to help the struggling right tackle Marc Colombo with his pass protection responsibilities.

Joe Philbin carried a high number of tight ends on his roster in Green Bay and early indications are that he will do the same in Miami. The question is: Does Fasano fit in what Philbin is trying to do long term? If so, the six-year veteran still has a lot to offer in versatility and experience.

If not, Fasano will be allowed to land elsewhere in free agency.

Chris Clemons

Along with Reshad Jones and Tyrone Culver, Chris Clemons is a part of an largely unproven group of safeties that has shown a good amount of potential.

All three players have enough talent to play in the league, but need to put together enough solid play to establish themselves as starters or effective role players.

Clemons missed most of last season with injuries, but figures to be back in the mix this season.

Defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle was defensive backs coach in Cincinnati before coming to Miami and worked wonders with the players he had there. If Coyle can do something similar with this group, Clemons could realize his potential and would have a chance to re-sign with the Dolphins.

Safety is a weak point of this team and finding players who can play effectively will be key to improving the 25th ranked pass defense in the NFL.

David Garrard and Matt Moore

Ryan Tannehill was drafted to be the quarterback of the future, but there is uncertainty on how soon that future will come.

Fortunately for Miami, they have two capable veterans who are able to start while Tannehill develops, as well as back him up and mentor his growth when he is finally ready to take the helm.

David Garrard and Matt Moore are under contract through this season and will compete to begin the 2012 season as starting quarterback.

Moore proved his mettle when he led the hapless Dolphins to a 6-3 record down the stretch last season, and Garrard is a career 85.8 rated passer. Miami fans should feel optimistic about either of these guys being a placeholder while their franchise player develops.

Looking beyond this season, both Garrard and Moore are talented enough that they may get a chance to start elsewhere if they play well for Miami.

If the Dolphins do retain either player beyond 2012, they can be confident that they have a solid backup for their prized franchise quarterback.