Dolphins Free Agency: Exploring Impact of Miami's Salary Cap
For the 2015 version of the Miami Dolphins to improve upon a mediocre 2014 campaign, changes need to be made throughout the roster. Since the coaching staff is likely to remain intact, that means players will be churned and upgraded wherever possible.
The Dolphins’ salary-cap situation isn’t conducive to such changes right now, however. According to Over the Cap, the Dolphins have $143 million in cap obligations, and the cap ceiling is expected to be between $140 and $145 million in 2015. Luckily, Miami can create a solid amount of cap space, which we will dig into.
One way the Dolphins can begin free agency with some room to work with is by carrying over $8 million from 2014. Since Miami kept that $8 million difference last season, it will benefit this free agency.
Don’t forget, the rookie draft class will likely require around $5 million to sign seven picks. So that’s more room to account for.
Let’s jump in and see the five areas that Miami’s lack of cap space will affect this offseason.
A Remake of the Linebacking Corps
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Just two years ago, the Dolphins thought they had revamped their aging yet effective linebacker position by swapping out Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett for Philip Wheeler and Dannell Ellerbe. The result has been disastrous, as the Dolphins lost two great locker room leaders and on-field impacts.
Former general manager Jeff Ireland often gets the heat for that switch, but the Dolphins’ coaching staff wanted faster, more athletic linebackers for Kevin Coyle’s defense. With little else available on the market, Miami overspent in free agency on talent that wasn’t properly used once on the field.
Ellerbe went from a weak inside linebacker in a 3-4 front to the MIKE in a 4-3. Wheeler played mostly weak-side rusher for the Oakland Raiders, but he dropped into coverage much more often with the Dolphins. Both have been exposed as below average in their bigger roles.
Miami paid a heavy price for the transactions to acquire Wheeler and Ellerbe. Last season, Ellerbe ranked as the 11th-highest paid outside linebacker in the league, and Wheeler was the 20th, per Spotrac.
Their return on investment was terrible, as they combined for 402 defensive snaps on the season, according to Pro Football Focus. Ellerbe missed the season with a hip injury.
Releasing Wheeler before June 1 only saves the Dolphins $200,000, so he might return since it’s more expensive to replace him. Cutting Ellerbe would save a nice chunk of $5.65 million, so expect him to be gone quickly.
With Jelani Jenkins firmly in hold of the weak-side linebacker position and Koa Misi able to play strong side well or be somewhat decent in the middle for another season, the Dolphins still need to add to this group.
Should Miami decide Misi is unreliable due to injuries, he could be jettisoned as well.
The Dolphins should focus on becoming more athletic and quicker to become more dynamic in their base defense. Only Jenkins could possibly develop into that role among their current group.
New Faces at Wide Receiver
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Another highly expensive unit that underperformed for the Dolphins was the wide receiver spot. Miami had three receivers ranked in the top 35 of 2014 salaries, including the No. 1 contract, Mike Wallace. When looking at their production, that is not acceptable moving forward.
Wallace has been a mercurial figure since coming to Miami. He set a new career high for catches in 2013 and then tied his career high for touchdowns in 2014. His role also greatly changed due to the offense’s demands, so he was no longer the big-play threat that brings the highlight-reel attention to him.
What has happened, though, is that Wallace has been forced to develop into a nice possession receiver with great speed. Miami isn’t using him ideally, but it has needed Wallace to embrace this development. But he hasn’t, leading to his self-benching in Week 17.
That made his future murky, as coach Joe Philbin doesn’t have a history of dealing with such actions. Wallace similarly put himself before the team when he was in Pittsburgh.
He’s a malcontent in the locker room despite making $17.25 million and being the Dolphins’ best receiver. What can be said to defend him?
Depending on what Miami does with Wallace, Brian Hartline could return, or be shown the door. Hartline had his worst season as a pro in 2014, often unable to get open due to a decline in effectiveness. He also struggled with drops.
Miami needs to figure out whether his troubles were due to injury or because the scheme was too rigid and did not account enough for his strengths.
Finally the future of Brandon Gibson is likely outside of Miami. Since tearing his ACL in his first season in 2013, Gibson was highly unreliable in 2014. Too many dropped passes and the inability to create after the catch should lead to his release. Miami can gain over $3 million by moving on.
Franchise Tag Situation
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There are only two realistic candidates for the Dolphins to give the franchise tag this offseason: tight end Charles Clay and defensive tackle Jared Odrick. Each has been a solid contributor in the past, but neither is irreplaceable or worth big salaries.
If Miami were to tag Clay, his deal would be worth approximately $8.27 million. So, that can likely be thrown out the window. Clay is a nice piece for the Dolphins offense, but it’s important to remember that he is more of a hybrid tight end and fullback that has been forced to play more tight end due to injuries.
As a defensive tackle, Odrick would also be looking at a major payday of about $11.83 million. Similar to Clay, he’s been somewhat miscast in his role. He came to Miami from Penn State as a 3-4 end, and that’s still his best position moving forward.
Odrick certainly has value to the Dolphins, but the franchise tag would not be a wise investment.
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One Big Free Agent
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If the Dolphins make the veteran cuts that we’ve previously suggested, they will have enough money to spend on one impact free agent and extra salary space for a few significant signings.
It’s hard to predict which free agents will actually hit the market, but the best of the potential bunch would be either Devin McCourty or a big wide receiver acquisition such as Andre Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald.
McCourty is set to be an unrestricted free agent from the New England Patriots. He’s a terrific playmaker and would allow the Dolphins defense to utilize Reshad Jones to his full capacity. Both are Pro Bowl-quality players.
If Johnson or Fitzgerald hits the market, they’ll be highly coveted by many teams. Johnson is native to Miami and is the more likely of the two to be interested in a Dolphins team that isn’t a Super Bowl contender yet.
Johnson has reportedly been unhappy with Houston since it failed to take a quarterback early in the 2014 NFL draft, and he could be released if things don’t get better for him.
Fitzgerald could be a cap casualty, as Arizona is well over the cap next season. His release would save the team over $9 million, and it must be a consideration because his cap number counts as $23.6 million alone next year. He would instantly bring credibility and a reliable weapon to the Dolphins offense.
Add a Few Complementary Free Agents
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After finding their one big fish, it’s time for the Dolphins to add young playmakers across the roster. Several positions can be addressed in the NFL draft, but rookies can't fill all of Miami’s needs in such a critical season.
At the top of Miami’s wish list should be a veteran guard. Options include Clint Boling of the Cincinnati Bengals and Orlando Franklin of the Denver Broncos.
Both fit Miami’s zone-blocking scheme perfectly, and they would be huge upgrades to the Dolphins' guard position. Winning in the trenches must be a priority for the Dolphins, and either of these two would be a major addition.
Next, Miami needs to add another defensive tackle such as Dan Williams of the Cardinals, or Terrance Knighton of the Broncos.
Both are phenomenal run-stuffers and can add to the duo of Odrick and Earl Mitchell for a fearsome middle. Upgrading from Randy Starks is another must-do on the list.
Finally, the Dolphins should find a solid cornerback to start next year. Jamar Taylor continues to struggle with injuries, and he hasn’t been given nearly enough snaps, so he’s not reliable enough for 2015.
Enter Kareem Jackson from the Texans. He’s young and coming off a career season. His size and bulk would be a welcomed change for Miami’s small secondary.
All stats used are from Pro-Football-Reference.com.
Ian Wharton is a Miami Dolphins Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, contributor for Optimum Scouting and analyst for eDraft.
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