Plan for Miami Dolphins' $60 Million Shopping Spree

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Dolphins have set themselves up for an offseason that can instantly make them Super Bowl contenders.  Like the Miami Heat in 2010.  This is no joke.  I'm not comparing Jeff Ireland to Pat Riley but there is true hope for Miami's NFL franchise.

I remember the venom.  LeBron James would never choose Miami.  He would rather play in New York.  The Heat cannot afford all three superstars.

Then it became a joke.  They are not going to have a bench.  Dwyane Wade and LeBron play the same position.

The Dolphins are receiving hate.  Again, I'm not saying they are going to be the Miami Heat.  I'm just saying they can.

I am here to tell you that the Miami Dolphins have $60 million in available cap space to spend however Ireland, Stephen Ross and Joe Philbin choose.

Now, let me show you why and afterward, I'll unveil Plan A.

$60 Million Is the Magic Number

Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Let's take the numbers provided by the Palm Beach Post's Ben Volin.  Volin claimed that the Dolphins' would actually have a salary cap of $127 million after they rolled over $6 million in unused cap space from 2012. 

Now, we look at players that can be cut with no cap penalty for Miami.  For example, Dimitri Patterson is slated to earn $4.6 million in 2013 but Miami will owe him nothing if they release him before the first game of the regular season.  Patterson's future is at Miami's discretion.  He is off the list.

Will Yeatman, Derrick Shelby, Marcus Thigpen, Armon Binns, Jonathan Freeny, Jonas Gray, Josh Kaddu, Jorvorskie Lane, Kyle Miller, Julian Posey, Josh Samuda and Kelcie McCray can all be cut and Miami would only suffer a total cap penalty of $10,000.  These are just option contracts for Jeff Ireland.  We can easily eliminate them.

OK, Miami fans, I'll let you keep special teams' ace Marcus Thigpen and fullback supreme Jorvorskie Lane.  They are value players.

This is what we have:

	PLAYER	POSITION	2013 Cap Hit
1	Karlos Dansby	LB	8575000
2	Paul Soliai	DT	7375000
3	Richard Marshall	CB	5766667
4	Kevin Burnett	LB	5700000
5	Richie Incognito	G	5383333
6	Cameron Wake	DE/LB	5015000
7	Davone Bess	WR	3433333
8	Dan Carpenter	K	3012500
9	Ryan Tannehill	QB	2879205
10	Mike Pouncey	C	2525371
11	Jared Odrick	DE	1939868
12	Koa Misi	LB	1131905
13	Brandon Fields	P	1645000
14	Jonathan Martin	OT	1087333
15	John Denney	LS	1013750
16	Jason Trusnik	LB	931666
17	Daniel Thomas	RB	882652
18	John Jerry	G	789625
19	Olivier Vernon	DE	669520
20	Michael Egnew	TE	652239
21	Nolan Carroll	CB	622939
22	Reshad Jones	S	615075
23	Lamar Miller	RB	601500
24	Charles Clay	TE	583000
25	Jimmy Wilson	CB/S	566475
26	Kheeston Randall	DT	495612
27	Rishard Matthews	WR	493403
28	Marcus Thigpen	RB/WR	482500
29	Jorvorskie Lane	FB	480000
		TOTAL	$65,349,471

Volin claimed the Dolphins had $1,590,868 in dead money.  My moves created $5000 in dead money from the contracts of Shelby and McCray.  Now, Miami has used $66,945,339 of its cap space.

If we subtract that from the NFL's set cap ($121 million) plus Miami's rollover from $2012 ($6 million), we have a number that is slightly over $60 million.

$60 million is the magic number!

Technicalities

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According to Ben Volin, each NFL team's offseason salary cap number is the top 51 contracts.

That leaves Miami with $60 million for 22 unsigned players.

The 12th overall selection in the 2013 NFL draft will make about two million.  The Dolphins' two second rounders will make approximately one million each and their third rounders about $700,000 each.  Miami's fourth rounder will likely make $500,000.  That's almost $5.9 million for six contracts.

Fifth rounders and beyond will make the rookie minimum, which is set at $405,000 for 2013.

If we fill the remaining 16 player slots with rookies at the minimum, that will take $6.48 million.

So, even being ultra-technical, Miami has over $47 million to spend on enhancing contracts.

Break the Bank for Mike Wallace

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Mike Wallace is only 26 years old and has the game-breaking speed, Miami so desperately needs.

Let's give our new wide receiver, a deal similar to Vincent Jackson's.

Signed: $55 million for five years

For our purposes, contracts will include signing bonuses and the cap hit will be distributed evenly.

2013 Cap Hit: $11 million

Brian Hartline Is an Elite No.2 Receiver

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Make no mistake about it.  Brian Hartline is getting paid in 2013.  He just finished a campaign in which he caught 74 passes for 1083 yards. 

Dolphin fans know that Ryan Tannehill missed various deep throws to a wide-open Hartline this year.  Hartline's numbers could have been gaudy.  They will have an opportunity to fix this problem in 2013.

Signed: $28 million for four years

2013 Cap Hit: $7 million

Randy Starks Will Continue to Plug the Middle

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Randy Starks is underrated and underappreciated.  The truth is that he is an essential part of Miami's dominant defensive line.

Signed: $24 million for four years

2013 Cap Hit: $6 million

Jared Cook

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The good news is that Jared Cook wants out of Tennessee and the bad news is that he tore a rotator cuff in early December.

Cook is an athletic tight end that wants to be more involved in an offense.  He should be fully healed by the start of Miami's 2013 training camp and Mike Sherman will get him the ball.

Signed: $16 million for four years

2013 Cap Hit: $4 million

Sean Smith

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While Miami fans are constantly frustrated by Sean Smith's inability to make interceptions, he is a solid cover cornerback.  Smith has only five career interceptions in four full seasons.  Despite this, Advanced NFL Stats claimed that in 2012, Smith ranked 21st in the league among corners in enhancing his team's probability of a victory.

Amongst a free agent crop that does not possess superstars at the cornerback position, Smith is a proven commodity for Miami.

Signed: $21 million for three years

2013 Cap Hit: $7 million

Chris Houston

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Chris Houston is not a household name and the Detroit Lions are not considered a defensive juggernaut.  Regardless, he will be one of the top cornerbacks available in 2013.  According to Advanced NFL Stats, Houston ranked 15th in the league among corners in enhancing his team's probability of a victory.

Signed: $21 million for three years

2013 Cap Hit: $7 million

Jake Long

Winslow Townson/Getty Images

Dolphin fans want Jake Long to stay but at the right price.  His wife's friendship with Ryan Tannehill's wife has been well documented. 

In the end, Long makes everyone happy, signing an incentive-laden deal.

Signed:  $21 million for 3 years

2013 Cap Hit: $7 million

Miami Still Has About $1.5 Million

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Dolphins still have $1.5 million available, even taking into account the salaries of drafted rookies.  It is just insurance money, likely for a backup quarterback.

Here are our final numbers:

	PLAYER	POSITION	2013 Cap Hit
1	Karlos Dansby	LB	8575000
2	Paul Soliai	DT	7375000
3	Richard Marshall	CB	5766667
4	Kevin Burnett	LB	5700000
5	Richie Incognito	G	5383333
6	Cameron Wake	DE/LB	5015000
7	Davone Bess	WR	3433333
8	Dan Carpenter	K	3012500
9	Ryan Tannehill	QB	2879205
10	Mike Pouncey	C	2525371
11	Jared Odrick	DE	1939868
12	Koa Misi	LB	1131905
13	Brandon Fields	P	1645000
14	Jonathan Martin	OT	1087333
15	John Denney	LS	1013750
16	Jason Trusnik	LB	931666
17	Daniel Thomas	RB	882652
18	John Jerry	G	789625
19	Olivier Vernon	DE	669520
20	Michael Egnew	TE	652239
21	Nolan Carroll	CB	622939
22	Reshad Jones	S	615075
23	Lamar Miller	RB	601500
24	Charles Clay	TE	583000
25	Jimmy Wilson	CB/S	566475
26	Kheeston Randall	DT	495612
27	Rishard Matthews	WR	493403
28	Marcus Thigpen	RB/WR	482500
29	Jorvorskie Lane	FB	480000
30	2013 1st Rounder		2000000
31	2013 2nd Rounder		1000000
32	2013 2nd Rounder		1000000
33	2013 3rd Rounder		700000
34	2013 3rd Rounder		700000
35	2013 4th Rounder		500000
36	Mike Wallace	WR	11000000
37	Brian Hartline	WR	7000000
38	Randy Starks	DT	6000000
39	Jared Cook	TE	4000000
40	Sean Smith	CB	7000000
41	Chris Houston	CB	7000000
42	Jake Long	LT	7000000
43	Rookie		405000
44	Rookie		405000
45	Rookie		405000
46	Rookie		405000
47	Rookie		405000
48	Rookie		405000
49	Rookie		405000
50	Rookie		405000
51	Rookie		405000
		TOTAL	123894471
		PLUS DEAD $	125490339
		2013 NFL Cap	127000000
		Space Available	1509661

In Conclusion

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Miami fans will miss Reggie Bush but now have a team with no glaring holes.  The weakest positions are free safety and right guard.  I am assuming that Reshad Jones will be playing strong safety, where he is more comfortable.

Jeff Ireland will have flexibility come draft time.  If he hits on his draft picks, Miami will be a very dangerous team in 2013.

What is your 2013 free agency plan for the Miami Dolphins?