8 Dolphins Who Will Be on the Roster Bubble in 2015
Change is coming for the Miami Dolphins organization as the front office reviews its plans to improve the roster for 2015. Another season filled with a mediocre 8-8 record means that this team must be shaken up to improve.
Some highly priced veterans will find themselves on the roster bubble due to the Dolphins’ recent history of poor free-agency splurges and little bang for the buck throughout key positions. Although Miami has some quality football players, it’s hard to justify some of the big deals on the cap sheet because of injury history, locker room issues, or on-field struggles.
It’s an unfortunate reality that the Dolphins are paying a premium for low-impact playmakers at too many positions. The final two months of the season showed it. Just compare the playmakers throughout any of the remaining playoff teams and what Miami puts on the field.
Saying they’re similar is very misguided. And that is what will spur these eight Dolphins to be on the roster bubble in the 2015 offseason. Miami must cut costs and revamp parts of the roster.
Miami may not be able to release every player in this list because of the financial implications of each move and finding a viable replacement, but consideration must be given.
What to Do with Mike Wallace
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The most talented individual on this list is also the most difficult locker-room personality for the team to deal with. Wide receiver Mike Wallace has replicated his tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers, which featured solid production but also questions about his attitude.
Wallace seems to have worn out his welcome in Miami after two years of an inconsistent on-field effort and a huge price tag. Wallace was the most expensive receiver in the NFL in 2014, according to Spotrac, and yet he’s proven to be more of a complementary weapon. That’s not a sustainable partnership.
If Wallace didn’t have all of his baggage, he’d likely have stayed in Pittsburgh. But the Steelers weren’t willing to match Miami’s offer because they knew his speed and attitude was replaceable. They’ve been just fine without him.
Wallace probably wouldn’t have found himself on this list had he not made a big scene in the regular-season finale against the New York Jets. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reported that Wallace told head coach Joe Philbin that he wouldn’t play if he didn’t get more touches. And he delivered on his promise, effectively quitting on the team.
Simply put, Wallace is not good enough to deal with these types of headaches. He’s a bad example for young players and carries an enormous price tag. Allowing him to be someone else’s problem child is the best decision for Miami.
The cost is steep, however. It’s another deep receiver draft class, and there are a number of quality receivers in free agency, so it’s highly unlikely Wallace has trade value. His $12.1 million cap hit is sixth-highest in the league, per Spotrac, making him immovable.
Miami will have two options should they release Wallace. By cutting him before June 1, he would count as $9.6 million against the cap, and the remaining $2.5 million would be cap savings. That seems unlikely because of the steep cost. If the Dolphins designate him as one of their two post-June 1 cuts, Miami would save a total of $6.9 million in cap space, but the team wouldn’t get those benefits until the summer.
Keeping Wallace another season will only promote the idea that a me-first attitude is acceptable. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill showed his disdain for Wallace’s effort and selfishness when Wallace didn’t run his route completely against the Jets. Forcing the two to work together would be foolish, as the two clearly never connected as hoped.
Dannell Ellerbe Likely Gone
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Likely the most obvious player on the list, linebacker Dannell Ellerbe is sure to be on the roster bubble this offseason. The former Baltimore Ravens linebacker struggled when he was on the field in 2013, and he missed almost the entire 2014 season with a shoulder injury.
With a $9.85 million cap hit next year, Ellerbe is one of the worst values in the NFL. Releasing him will create $5.65 million in cap space, with the rest creating dead money on the cap.
Ellerbe never translated to a 4-3 defense as Miami had hoped after his terrific Super Bowl run with the Ravens. By moving Ellerbe to the "Mike" linebacker position, the Dolphins made a big risk, as he had never played the position professionally. And the results were undeniably bad. He finished the 2013 season as Pro Football Focus’ (subscription required) 50th-best inside linebacker in the NFL.
The Future of Brian Hartline
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The career-Dolphin could be facing a pay cut or outright release this offseason as Miami looks to get more explosive on offense. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reported that Hartline wants to know his future sooner rather than later, so he likely realizes that 2014 was a bad season for him.
Hartline was much more productive in the simple Mike Sherman offense in 2012 and 2013, but he was exposed as a limited athlete and playmaker in Bill Lazor’s scheme. The former Ohio State Buckeye can still be productive in a more limited role, but his $7.35 million cap hit makes it impossible for him to stay around and serve in a smaller role.
Miami's best option is likely a restructure for Hartline. Miami can keep some continuity at receiver and give Tannehill another season with his favorite target. Hartline comes off as a good locker-room presence as well, which Miami needs.
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Is It a Matter of Time for Philip Wheeler?
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Another big-ticket free agent in the spring of 2013, outside linebacker Philip Wheeler is on the bubble. Wheeler only started a handful of games in 2014 because of his horrendous 2013 season, where he graded as the worst 4-3 outside linebacker by Pro Football Focus.
Wheeler graded much better in 2014, but he also logged almost 700 snaps less. Miami limited his opportunities throughout the year because of how much of a liability he was in coverage and rushing the passer.
Like Ellerbe, Wheeler was a round peg in a square hole. Defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle has shown little to no versatility in his scheming to help these guys get into a position to succeed. Unfortunately, that’s what happens with bad coaching.
Releasing Wheeler before June 1 creates a bigger hole than the Dolphins had before. The difference in his cap hit and dead money is only $200,000 before that date, so it would cost more to cut and replace him than to keep him.
A post-June 1 cut, however, means that Miami opens up $3 million to use toward 2016 or a contract extension for someone else. This isn’t an attractive option for the short term, but it's one necessary for the long-term. He’s easily replaceable by the young players on the roster, such as Jordan Tripp and Chris McCain.
End of the Line for Randy Starks?
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Miami made a tough decision last summer by keeping Randy Starks over Paul Soliai. By re-signing Starks, the coaches committed to having three defensive tackles who played the 3-technique, and none were big enough to be the nose tackle.
Lacking a big nose tackle to eat up blocks, Miami was torn apart in the run game. Now, the risk looks to have not paid off, and Miami could release Starks. Releasing Starks would save $5 million, which would be enough for Miami to sign a true nose tackle.
Starks has been a big contributor for the Dolphins throughout his Dolphins career, including a breakout 2013 season. Unfortunately, he could be a victim of the numbers game, where he does not compare well to Jared Odrick and Earl Mitchell because he’s older and expensive.
Brandon Gibson to Be Released?
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Another receiver on this list, Brandon Gibson might be most likely to be on the bubble this often. Gibson’s second season as a Dolphins’ receiver was filled with inconsistent play, and he hasn’t shown enough to justify his $4.26 million salary in 2015.
The result of releasing Gibson is a cap gain of $3.26 million, which is an easy decision from the outside. Gibson failed to look as good as he did before his 2013 ACL tear, and now he’s an expensive fourth receiver who lacks any special talent.
Upgrading on Gibson shouldn’t be hard or as pricey as it would be to keep him for the final year of his contract. A cheaper veteran in free agency or a mid-round draft pick should suffice and should come at a fraction of the price.
Will Cortland Finnegan Retire?
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When the Dolphins signed cornerback Cortland Finnegan in the offseason, it was clear they overpaid for an aging player coming off two horrific seasons. The good news for Miami is that Finnegan played decently for most of the season, but the bad news is that Finnegan missed four games and returned to get torched by Eric Decker in the final game of the year.
Finnegan’s demise was swift, harsh and predictable. He’s tough-as-nails, but he's just not good enough to be in the NFL as a regular player anymore. That’s why he will retire, or Miami will simply cut him and save $5.475 million toward the cap.
So Miami will be forced to find another cornerback this offseason since it decided to pay Finnegan and not invest in a young defensive back in Alterraun Verner last year. This could be a costly mistake, as Jamar Taylor and Will Davis haven’t played enough to be proven, and each has big injury concerns.
Brandon Fields Could Be Gone After Poor Season
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There are some positions that are well worth a major investment, and others that should be churned unless an elite talent is present. Based off 2014, Miami is spending way too much on Brandon Fields. Fields has the second-biggest cap hit next season at $3.9 million, per Spotrac.
2014 was a bad year for Fields, as he averaged just 38.6 net yards a punt. That’s 25th in the NFL, and that's not acceptable when comparing his production and salary rank. Fields’ play puts him in the crosshairs for replacement.
Releasing Fields would save Miami $3.11 million in cap room, and replacing him could be as cheap as the minimum salary. Special teamers can be churned yearly if need be, and it's an area where labor shouldn’t cost too much because of the supply available to teams.
All contract information used was from OverTheCap.com
Ian Wharton is a Miami Dolphins Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report, contributor for Optimum Scouting, and analyst for eDraft.
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