Dolphins Release OL D.J. Fluker With Injury Settlement
D.J. Fluker‘s stint in Miami has already come to an end. After being placed on injured reserve last week, the veteran offensive lineman was released with an injury settlement today (per Adam Beasley of Pro Football Network on Twitter).
The Dolphins assured that Fluker wouldn’t play for the team this season when they placed him on IR. However, it was suspected that an injury settlement could take place, in which case Fluker would be free to sign (and play) elsewhere. While the former first-round pick underwent meniscus surgery on Thursday, he’s expected to be ready to play within a month. We also heard that a conditioning issue could have led to Fluker’s demise in Miami, and Beasley tweets that the offensive lineman showed up to camp eight pounds heavier than his 2020 weight.
The Dolphins could have four rookie-contract starters on the offensive line, and Fluker was expected to provide a veteran presence to that grouping. Now, the young offensive line corps will have to turn to veterans like Matt Skura, who is vying for the Dolphins’ starting center role, and versatile lineman Jesse Davis.
Fluker, 30, spent last season with the Ravens, with whom he started eight games. Prior to that, Fluker spent two years as a Seahawks guard starter. He previously played with the Giants and Chargers, who chose him in the 2013 first round. His latest injury (and the note about his conditioning) certainly doesn’t bode well for the 30-year-old. However, with 96 career regular season starts on his resume, the offensive lineman will surely find another gig once he’s healthy. He signed for the veteran minimum without any fully guaranteed money earlier this offseason, so the lineman won’t be looking to break the bank.
AFC Notes: Waddle, Howard, Jets, QBs, Mims
The Dolphins just made a massive investment in Alabama receiver Jaylen Waddle by taking him with the sixth overall pick. While it’s too early to worry too much, it does sound like Waddle’s ankle may cause some anxiety for Miami fans. Waddle is “still not entirely back” from the broken ankle he suffered during his last season in college, Adam Beasley of Pro Football Network hears. He writes that it’s “still somewhat of an issue” nine months after the injury occurred.
Even though he’s participating in training camp practices, Beasley says he “still at times walks with a limp” and that “there are some within the organization who believe he doesn’t yet have the full explosiveness” he had with the Crimson Tide. Waddle said after a recent Dolphins practice that he was feeling good, but it sounds like this will be a situation to monitor. The injury was a devastating one, so it’s not all that shocking that it’s lingering.
Here’s more from the AFC East:
- Speaking of potential Dolphins drama, star cornerback Xavien Howard just gave his first press conference since formally requesting a trade. Howard was pretty terse in his media availability and didn’t reveal too much, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. When asked if he was optimistic that an agreement with Miami would be reached, Howard said “That’s up to the Dolphins,” he said. “I’m just here with my teammates.” Howard either wants more guaranteed money from the team, or a trade. He was also asked whether he hoped things would get worked out for him to stay, and he replied “yeah, I hope it gets better. It’s a process. I’m hearing this and that, but nothing is getting done right now.” When asked whether he had spoken to head coach Brian Flores, Howard said “we talked but didn’t go nowhere.” It sounds like things are at an impasse, with no end in sight. Buckle up.
- One of the big questions surrounding the Jets this offseason has been whether they’ll add a veteran backup quarterback. Rookie second overall pick Zach Wilson will be the starter, but New York has very little experience behind him. 2018 fifth-round pick Mike White and 2020 fourth-round pick James Morgan are the only two other options on the roster. First-time head coach Robert Saleh “seems oppposed” to the idea of adding a veteran signal-caller, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes. If they don’t, “White is the favorite to be the regular season QB2,” Cimini says. White was originally drafted by the Cowboys, but came to New York in 2019. Cimini thinks the team may cut Morgan and try to add him to the practice squad.
- This one will be a disappointment to Jets fans. 2020 second-round pick Denzel Mims is “no better than fifth in the pecking order at wide receiver,” Cimini writes. The team obviously had much higher hopes for him when they drafted him 59th overall just last year. He’s understandably behind veterans Corey Davis and Jamison Crowder, but it sounds like Mims has also already fallen behind free agent signee Keelan Cole and 2021 second-round pick Elijah Moore. Injuries limited the Baylor product to only nine games as a rookie, in which he put up 23 catches for 357 yards.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/1/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Denver Broncos
- Signed: CB Rojesterman Farris
Las Vegas Raiders
- Re-signed: K Dominik Eberle
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: QB K.J. Costello
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: TEs Cethan Carter, Mike Gesicki, Adam Shaheen
Washington Football Team
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Daron Payne
Dolphins Place G D.J. Fluker On IR
Signed to be a veteran presence on the Dolphins’ offensive line, D.J. Fluker will not play for the team this season. The Dolphins placed the experienced guard on IR Thursday.
The Dolphins signed the former first-round pick just before the draft. While Fluker signed for the veteran minimum without any fully guaranteed money, this is a bit of a blow to Miami’s depth up front. The Dolphins are set to go young on the offensive line this season.
This move will not KO Fluker for the season, however. While Thursday’s transaction prevents him from playing for the Dolphins this year, the eight-year vet could play elsewhere if an injury settlement is reached. That scenario is likely, with Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweeting Fluker underwent meniscus surgery today but is expected to be ready to play within a month. The Dolphins, evidently, did not want to wait on Fluker’s recovery. A conditioning issue also cropped up with Fluker, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson.
Fluker, 30, spent last season with the Ravens, with whom he started eight games. Prior to that, Fluker spent two years as a Seahawks guard starter. He previously played with the Giants and Chargers, who chose him in the 2013 first round.
Miami, which traded Ereck Flowers back to Washington earlier this year, may have four rookie-contract starters up front this year. Ex-Fluker Raven teammate Matt Skura, however, is vying for the Dolphins’ starting center role, and versatile veteran Jesse Davis remains in the mix.
To replace Fluker on their roster, the Dolphins signed former UDFA guard Ross Reynolds.
AFC East Notes: Waddle, Wilson, Jets, Pats
Jaylen Waddle missed most of his senior season at Alabama due to a broken ankle. While that injury occurred back in October, the top-10 pick does not appear to have fully recovered. Waddle’s ankle remains an issue at Dolphins camp, according to Adam Beasley of the Pro Football Network. Some with the Dolphins do not believe the No. 6 overall pick has regained his full explosiveness just yet, Beasley adds. The former Tua Tagovailoa Tuscaloosa weapon has walked with a limp during training camp but has gone through practices, avoiding a stay on Miami’s active/PUP list. Although the Dolphins have three first-round wideouts on their roster, with free agent pickup Will Fuller joining DeVante Parker, Waddle is the highest-drafted receiver in team history.
Here is the latest from the AFC East:
- The Jets making Zach Wilson the last of this year’s 259 draftees to sign is not especially surprising, given the timing of the sides’ negotiations. The Jets did not begin negotiating with the No. 2 overall pick until last week, per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe (on Twitter). Gang Green wanted Wilson to defer $6MM of his signing bonus to 2022, but when the team agreed to pay it all this year, Wilson flew to the Big Apple. While payment schedule was an issue for Wilson’s camp, SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano notes offset language was the top concern for the quarterback. Once the Jets agreed to pay out his bonus within 15 days, however, the BYU product caved on offsets, which are present in his deal.
- Marcus Maye and the Jets never came close on a deal ahead of the franchise tag extension deadline, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes. With a Maye tag in 2022 costing the Jets $12.7MM, Cimini expects this season to be it for Maye with the team. The Jets appear intent on gauging Maye’s fit in Robert Saleh‘s defense, but the timing here may well lead Maye elsewhere next year. Maye and Jamal Adams started together for three seasons on Gang Green’s back line. It is now looking likely each will have passed through before receiving a big payday with another team.
- Two-year incumbent Sam Ficken and rookie UDFA Chris Naggar are vying for the Jets’ kicker job, but the team held a workout recently at this position. Matthew McCrane, Matt Ammendola and Haidar Zaidan worked out for the team this week, Aaron Wilson of Sports Talk 790 tweets. Of the three, McCrane is the only one to kick in an NFL game. And that came back in 2018.
- The Patriots received a slight boost in their salary cap space this week. Patrick Chung‘s retirement being officially processed created $891K in cap space for the Pats, Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed tweets. Chung opted out last season but announced his retirement in March. New England currently carries just more than $13MM in cap space.
Teams Calling On Dolphins’ Xavien Howard
Xavien Howard wants out and plenty of teams are willing to help. Two playoff teams have called the Dolphins the cornerback following his latest trade request (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Other clubs have called too, setting the stage for a summer blockbuster.
Howard skipped mandatory minicamp in an effort to get a new deal from the Dolphins. That hasn’t worked — at least not yet. The All-Pro cornerback still has multiple seasons to go on his contract and the Dolphins want him to stick to the current agreement.
“[The] business side of the NFL proves organizations don’t always have a player’s best interest at heart,” Howard said on social media this week, adding that he didn’t “feel comfortable” with the extension he inked just a few years ago.
“We wanted things to work out with the Dolphins, and brought solutions to the table – like guaranteeing more money – that we felt were win-wins for both sides,” Howard continued. “These were proposal of adjustments that wouldn’t just make me feel more respected, but were also cap friendly. But the Dolphins refused everything we proposed…That is why I don’t feel the organization has dealt with me in good faith.”
Howard notched ten interceptions last year to lead the NFL. That marked the second time he’s led the way in just three years. He also graded out as the second-best corner in the league, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. Meanwhile, his current $15MM AAV has him ranked sixth at the position. Teammate Byron Jones is No. 5 on that list — another reason why Howard is frustrated.
It’s not clear who these “playoff teams” are, but we do know that the Cowboys and Saints have previously inquired on Howard.
Dolphins, Benardrick McKinney Rework Contract
Benardrick McKinney has agreed to revise his existing contract, as Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The veteran linebacker is now on course for free agency in the spring of 2022, rather than 2024. He was originally set to make $27.5MM over the next three years, including a $7.75M salary in 2021. Now, he’ll make $3MM this year plus $200K in playtime incentives. 
The Dolphins acquired McKinney from the Texans earlier this year in exchange for edge rusher Shaq Lawson. In cap terms, the deal was pretty much a wash. But, from a football perspective, the Dolphins preferred McKinney’s run-stuffing ability.
When McKinney was at his best, he formed one of the league’s best run-stuffing tandems with Zach Cunningham. Now, McKinney is set to start alongside Jerome Baker, and the Miami duo could be even better, if McKinney can match Baker’s strides in pass coverage.
McKinney earned Pro Bowl nod in 2018 and racked up 100+ tackles again in 2019. Last year, however, a shoulder injury limited him to just four games.
Dolphins CB Xavien Howard Requests Trade
Xavien Howard wants out of Miami. The All-Pro cornerback revealed on Instagram this evening that he’s requested a trade from the Dolphins (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter).
This trade demand follows Howard’s previous decision to skip mandatory minicamp in pursuit of a new contract. We recently heard that the defensive back was “dug in” on the contract issue, and it was anticipated that he’d stay away from the organization until the situation was resolved. Instead, the apparent standoff has evolved into a full-blown trade request.
In his statement, Howard said the “business side of the NFL proves organizations don’t always have a player’s best interest at heart,” citing the extension that he didn’t “feel comfortable” signing a few years ago. Howard also noted that he’ll continue to attend training camp to avoid any fines.
“We wanted things to work out with the Dolphins, and brought solutions to the table – like guaranteeing more money – that we felt were win-wins for both sides,” Howard continued. “These were proposal of adjustments that wouldn’t just make me feel more respected, but were also cap friendly. But the Dolphins refused everything we proposed.
“That is why I don’t feel the organization has dealt with me in good faith. I don’t feel valued or respect by the Dolphins. Just like they can take a business-first approach, so can I…That’s why I want to make it clear that I’m not happy and have requested a trade.”
Howard is coming off a tremendous season, intercepting a league-leading 10 passes (the second time in three seasons he has paced the NFL in INTs), and grading out as the second-best CB in the league per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. Though the five-year, $75MM pact Howard signed with the Dolphins in 2019 made him the highest-paid corner in the league at the time, his $15MM AAV is now the sixth-highest mark in football (one spot behind teammate Byron Jones, who is not as good as Howard but who was lucky enough to sign his free agent contract one year later). We learned late last month that Howard was seeking a deal that would at least exceed his teammate’s contract.
Howard’s situation is different than standard contract standoffs considering he has four years remaining on his contract. Whereas a player with one or two years left on his deal would be an easy candidate for a renegotiated pact, a player with Howard’s term would be eyeing a practically unprecedented reworking. Head coach Brian Flores seemed to hint at that “unique situation” back in June.
“After one year, it’s honestly something that hasn’t been done before,” Flores said of Howard’s then-request for a new contract. “Not saying we’re drawing a line in the sand, but different players set the market every year.”
While the Dolphins would surely rather have Howard in uniform, not all is lost, as teams would surely be willing to trade for a player of his caliber. We’ve already heard that the Saints could be a potential landing spot, and Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com tweets that the Cowboys previously reached out about the cornerback.
Dolphins Sign Second-Round Pick Liam Eichenberg
The Dolphins have signed second-round offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg. With Eichenberg inked, the Dolphins have wrapped up their 2021 draft class.
Eichenberg, taken No. 42 overall, served as Notre Dame’s starting left tackle for three seasons. As a pro, he may be ticketed for more work on the interior. Either way, the Dolphins are high on his potential. Initially set to pick at No. 50 overall, the Dolphins packaged it with a 2022 third-rounder to move up and snag Eichenberg.
Here’s the full rundown of the Dolphins’ (totally signed) 2021 class:
- Round 1: No. 6 (from Eagles) Jaylen Waddle, WR (Alabama) (signed)
- Round 1: No. 18 Jaelan Phillips, DL (Miami) (signed)
- Round 2: No. 36 (from Texans) Jevon Holland, S (Oregon) (signed)
- Round 2: No. 42 (from Giants) Liam Eichenberg, OT (Notre Dame) (signed)
- Round 3: No. 81 Hunter Long, TE (Boston College) (signed)
- Round 7: No. 231 (from Texans) Larnel Coleman, OT (Massachusetts) (signed)
- Round 7: No. 244 (from Washington) Gerrid Doaks, RB (Cincinnati) (signed)
Dolphins Sign Third-Round TE Hunter Long
Hours away from their training camp’s outset, the Dolphins have all but one of their rookies signed. They came to terms with third-round pick Hunter Long on his four-year deal Monday.
The No. 81 overall pick, Long played three seasons at Boston College and declared for the draft after his junior year. The rookie tight end will follow ex-teammate Tommy Sweeney into the NFL (and the AFC East, with Sweeney on the Bills) and continue BC’s tight end pipeline to the league.
Following Sweeney’s exit, Long took over as the Eagles’ top tight end. He averaged 18.2 yards per reception (509 total) as a sophomore and set a new career-high with 685 yards in the pandemic-truncated 2020 slate. Long caught 57 passes and added five touchdowns last season, paving his way to the draft’s second day.
The Dolphins have now drafted tight ends on Day 2 in two of the past four drafts. Incumbent Mike Gesicki, a second-rounder out of Penn State in 2018, is entering his contract year. Despite finishing fourth among NFL tight ends with 703 receiving yards in 2020, Gesicki is not believed to have surfaced on the Dolphins’ extension radar just yet. He will team will Long this season.
Long’s signing leaves second-round tackle Liam Eichenberg as Miami’s lone unsigned draftee. The Dolphins join 28 other teams by beginning camp Tuesday.