4 Veterans the Miami Dolphins Must Part with Before 2015 Season

For much of the next week, the focus of media attention will be on players signing with teams. For some teams, however, bringing on new players means cutting ties with dead weight. 

The Miami Dolphins have a handful of players who could become casualties to the offseason purge: veterans who simply have not lived up to their price tag or players who are simply taking up space that could be occupied by young players on the rise.

That's especially true, given the exorbitant amount of money the Dolphins could spend on defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. The Dolphins may have enough cap space to get that signing finished, but they may not have much room to do anything else at that point. But they can always free up the necessary cap space with just a few simple steps. 

They could also use this period as an opportunity to pave the way for a young player to get the playing time he rightly deserves. 

Here's a look at some of those potential moves. 

Philip Wheeler

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The Dolphins went on a free-agency spending spree in 2013, and they're beginning to purge some of those signings in the likes of wide receivers Brandon Gibson and Brian Hartline. But of all the 2013 free-agent signings, linebacker Philip Wheeler has been the most disappointing so far.

Wheeler has not lived up to the hype of his five-year, $26 million deal; he yielded completions on more than 72 percent of throws into his coverage in 2013 and more than 77 percent in 2014, according to Pro Football Focus. He also led the Dolphins in missed tackles in 2013. 

The Dolphins would be paying Wheeler nearly as much if they cut him ($4.2 million) as they would if they just kept him ($4.4 million), but that's a small price to pay if they could save his full salary in 2016 ($7.875 million) and 2017 ($7.425 million) by moving on from him now instead of waiting.

Wheeler's departure may also pave the way for more playing time for 2013 first-round pick Dion Jordan, who has been utilized sparingly at both defensive end and outside linebacker in his NFL career. 

Mike Wallace

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With the Dolphins having already parted ways with wide receivers Brandon Gibson and Brian Hartline, there is some question as to why the Dolphins have not yet made a decision on Mike Wallace. He is one of their most talented wide receivers, but there are reports that he quit on the team multiple times in 2014, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.

Additionally, the fact that Dennis Hickey has refused to say whether Wallace would be back with the team in 2015, according to Andrew Abramson of The Palm Beach Post, only makes his status with the team that much more debatable.

The Dolphins signed Wallace with hopes that he could provide a deep threat for their offense, but his vertical speed was not put to good use in 2014; Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill targeted Wallace on 24 passes that traveled 20 yards or more this season, and the two only connected on six of those passes (25 percent), according to Pro Football Focus. 

His $12.1 million cap hit in 2015 could be chopped, with the Dolphins saving $6.9 million by cutting him if they designate him a post-June 1 cut, according to OverTheCap.com. They would also save the full $13.7 million of his salary in the 2016 and 2017 seasons. 

Dannell Ellerbe

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The Dolphins were expected to release linebackers Dannell Ellerbe and Philip Wheeler, but according to Fox Sports' Alex Marvez, they are making a last-ditch effort to try to trade both men. When they fail to do so, it will be prudent for them to release both. 

Ellerbe signed a five-year, $35 million contract back in 2013 but has not lived up to that billing and was placed on injured reserve following Week 1. The Dolphins could save $8.45 million of his $9.85 million cap hit if they designate him a post-June 1 cut, according to OverTheCap.com. 

Ellerbe was primarily a middle linebacker for the Dolphins, and his release could pave the way for linebacker Koa Misi to move inside. The Dolphins would still need to find another outside linebacker, but they may be looking to get younger and cheaper at the position. 

Who knows what the Dolphins will do once they move on from Ellerbe and Wheeler, but it's about as likely as the sun rising in the east at this point. 

Randy Starks

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If it seems like only last year that Randy Starks was among the big decisions the Dolphins were making, that's because it was. About 12 months ago, the Dolphins and Starks agreed on a two-year, $10 million contract with a $2 million signing bonus and a fully guaranteed $3 million base salary. 

And now, with the news that defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh could be signing with the team, the Dolphins are in a difficult position of paying a high price tag for two defensive tackles. If they were to move on from Starks, they would save $5 million of his $6 million cap hit, according to OverTheCap.com. That would provide substantial salary-cap relief for a team that is putting a lot of its resources into Suh. 

Starks has logged at least four sacks in each of the past four seasons, and was also among ProFootballFocus.com's 20 top pass-rushing defensive tackles in the 2012 and 2013 seasons, but with Suh's arrival, the Dolphins should still be set at the defensive tackle position. 

Unless otherwise noted, all salary-cap and contract information provided by OverTheCap.com.