Dolphins Extend Adam Shaheen
The Dolphins have agreed to a two-year contract extension with tight end Adam Shaheen, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The deal — worth up to $7.85MM with $3.2MM fully guaranteed — will keep him in the fold through the 2022 season. 
[RELATED: Dolphins’ Ryan Fitzpatrick Hasn’t Asked For Trade]
The Dolphins acquired Shaheen from the Bears in July for the cost of a conditional 2021 seventh-round pick. That is to say, they didn’t give up much for Shaheen, who was a second-round pick just a few years ago. In Chicago, he didn’t live up to his 2017 expectations, due in large part to injuries. All in all, he had totaled 26 receptions for 249 yards and four touchdowns in 27 games, out of a possible 48.
With the Dolphins, he’s managed to stay healthy while serving as a solid blocking tight end. Through six games, he’s played on 32% of Miami’s offensive snaps.
Shaheen figures to see more time this week, when the Tua Tagovailoa-led Dolphins face the Rams in Miami.
Dolphins Receiving Trade Inquiries On Xavien Howard
Xavien Howard has intercepted a pass in four straight games, and those four picks are tied for the NFL lead. The veteran cornerback has rebounded from an injury-marred 2019.
Although the Dolphins are 3-3, they have received trade inquiries on their standout corner. At least two teams have called the Dolphins about Howard, Barry Jackson and Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald report. While Howard would not mind being traded, according to the Herald, the Dolphins made the interesting move of sending out a statement they are not shopping him (Twitter link via Jackson).
Multiple other media outlets indicated the Dolphins were, in fact, entertaining offers for Howard. Considering the Dolphins are still in a rebuilding phase, having just given Tua Tagovailoa the reins, listening to proposals would make sense. The current regime, however, did extend Howard in April 2019. His $15MM-per-year deal runs through 2024. However, no guaranteed money remains on the contract after 2020. The Dolphins would take only a $4.1MM cap hit by trading the 27-year-old defender, who is due base salaries of $12.1MM and $12.4MM in 2021 and ’22. His 2023 and ’24 prices dip below $12MM, increasing potential trade value.
The Dolphins gave Byron Jones a then-cornerback-record contract in March and drafted Noah Igbinoghene in the first round a month later. The team has not been shy on dealing key players, with Laremy Tunsil and Minkah Fitzpatrick being shipped out last year. No first-round pick would likely come Miami’s way in a Howard swap, though.
Howard, who missed 11 games last season, led the NFL with seven interceptions in 2018 and already has 16 picks in his four-plus-season career. In that span, only Titans safety Kevin Byard has more INTs.
Dolphins Work Out Malik McDowell
- The Dolphins conducted an interesting workout Wednesday. They brought in former Seahawks second-round pick Malik McDowell for an audition, per Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The 2017 draftee has not played an NFL down, with an ATV accident and subsequent legal troubles harpooning his career. The former Michigan State defensive lineman recently spent time in prison after a bevy of charges stemming from a 2019 arrest.
Dolphins’ Ryan Fitzpatrick Hasn’t Asked For Trade
Ryan Fitzpatrick led the Dolphins to back-to-back wins and a .500 record, but it wasn’t enough to stave off the inevitable rise of Tua Tagovailoa. Now relegated to backup status, the veteran says he has not requested a trade (Twitter link via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). At the same time, Fitzpatrick has yet to consider whether he’d be comfortable holding the clipboard beyond 2020.
[RELATED: Dolphins Turn To Tua Tagovailoa]
“I like playing more than I like sitting watching,” said Fitzpatrick, confessing and stating the obvious.
FitzMagic, 28 in November, was a bright spot for the Dolphins in an otherwise trying year. He racked up 3,529 passing yards with 20 touchdowns against 13 interceptions and helped cap off the year in style with wins over the Bengals and Patriots.
The veteran is under contract for 2020 with an $8MM salary. Currently positioned as a pricey backup, Fitzpatrick isn’t quite sure of what the future holds beyond this year. For now, he’ll focus on helping the former Alabama standout transition to the pro game.
Tagovailoa’s debut as the Dolphins’ starter will come after their bye week on Nov. 1 against the Rams.
Dolphins Tried To Sign Damon Harrison
- Adam Gase may still be employed, but ESPN’s Rich Cimini is skeptical that the Jets head coach will keep his job for the entire season. The reporter describes the head coach’s firing as “inevitable,” and he writes that it wouldn’t be a surprise if CEO Christopher Johnson “pulls the plug now.” Following their shutout loss to the Dolphins this past weekend, the Jets have dropped to 7-15 during Gase’s tenure with the organization.
- The Buccaneers weren’t the only team to express interest in Snacks. Pelissero tweets that the Dolphins recently made a run at defensive tackle Damon Harrison. However, just like he did with Tampa Bay, the veteran rejected Miami in order to stick with Seattle’s practice squad. Fortunately, it sounds like his opportunity with the Seahawks is coming, as the reporter adds that Harrison is “ramping up towards joining Seattle’s active roster.” Snacks, 31, has operated as a nose tackle starter since his second season (2013), playing that role for the Jets, Giants and Lions.
Dolphins To Start Tua Tagovailoa
It’s Tua time. The Dolphins will start rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa ahead of Ryan Fitzpatrick in Week 8 against the Rams, per a club announcement. 
The Dolphins brought Tagovailoa in against the Jets on Sunday, giving him some reps heading into their bye week. At 3-3, this wasn’t necessarily a slam-dunk decision by the team. Fitzpatrick has them in playoff contention, but they’re also looking ahead to the future, which figures to be led by the Alabama star.
The Dolphins tapped Tagovailoa with the No. 5 overall pick, despite concerns over his surgically-repaired hip and other injuries. Even though his 2019 season was wiped out, many say that he has the greatest upside of any QB from the 2020 class. Tagovailoa easily could have been the No. 1 overall pick, if not for his career-threatening injury and Joe Burrow’s absolutely absurd final season at LSU. As a fully healthy sophomore in 2018, Tagovailoa dazzled as he threw for almost 4,000 yards and 43 touchdowns with only six interceptions. In that year, he was the runner-up for the Heisman trophy behind Kyler Murray, the eventual No. 1 overall pick.
Now, he’s totally healthy, and he’ll be in total command of the Dolphins’ offense moving forward.
2020 NFL Cap Space, By Team
As shown by Le’Veon Bell‘s recent deal with the Chiefs, big name free agents can come available at any point throughout the season. His contract wasn’t particularly pricey, but teams like to keep cash on hand during the year, especially when mulling potential trades before the deadline. Excess cap room can also be rolled over from year-to-year and give clubs the opportunity to lock up their most valuable players with extensions.
Here are the most recent figures for each team, via Over The Cap:
- Cleveland Browns – $33.1MM
- New York Jets – $27.9MM
- Dallas Cowboys — $23.9MM
- Washington Football Team – $23.6MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars– $22.9MM
- New England Patriots – $22.9MM
- Denver Broncos – $19.7MM
- Detroit Lions – $17MM
- Philadelphia Eagles– $18MM
- Miami Dolphins – $15.8MM
- Indianapolis Colts – $10.4MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers – $9.6MM
- Cincinnati Bengals– $9MM
- Baltimore Ravens – $9MM
- Arizona Cardinals– $8.9MM
- Chicago Bears – $8.4MM
- Tennessee Titans – $8.3MM
- Houston Texans – $8.1MM
- Los Angeles Chargers — $8MM
- New Orleans Saints – $8MM
- Green Bay Packers – $7.7MM
- New York Giants – $7.2MM
- Los Angeles Rams – $7MM
- Las Vegas Raiders – $6.3MM
- Carolina Panthers – $6.2MM
- Kansas City Chiefs – $5.8MM
- Buffalo Bills – $5MM
- San Francisco 49ers – $4MM
- Seattle Seahawks – $4MM
- Atlanta Falcons – $2MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $1.4MM
- Minnesota Vikings – $158K
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/17/20
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: S Marcus Gilchrist, LB Kristian Welch
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from IR: WR Keith Kirkwood
- Promoted: DT Woodrow Hamilton, DE Austin Larkin
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: DT Kahlil McKenzie
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: S Elijah Benton
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB Jeremy Cox, LB Josh Watson
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: G Joe Dahl
- Promoted: QB David Blough, TE Isaac Nauta
- Waived: CB Chris Jones
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
Houston Texans
- Promoted: S Jonathan Owens
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: DE Jabaal Sheard
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: DT Eli Ankou
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: DT Benito Jones
New York Giants
- Promoted: LB Trent Harris
New York Jets
- Promoted: LB Blake Cashman, WR Vyncint Smith, QB Mike White
- Released: S Marqui Christian
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: WR Deon Cain
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from IR: WR Richie James
- Promoted: DT Darrion Daniels, WR Kevin White
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: DT Jeremiah Ledbetter
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: LB Daren Bates, WR Cameron Batson, DB Kareem Orr
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: TE Temarrick Hemingway
No Multi-Year Offers For Le’Veon Bell?
On Thursday night, Le’Veon Bell agreed to join the Chiefs on a one-year deal. There were other suitors, but none of those teams offered Bell a multi-year pact, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Previously, the Dolphins were believed to have offered a two-year deal to lure Bell to Miami. Apparently, that’s not the case. The Bills were also in the hunt, but Buffalo didn’t offer up a deal to extend into the 2021 season, either.
Ultimately, Bell got what he wanted – an opportunity to reassert himself with a bonafide Super Bowl contender. At minimum, Bell figures to serve as rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire‘s top supporting cast member, slotting him ahead of Darrel Williams and Darwin Thompson.
Bell’s production and constant clashing with Adam Gase made his $13.25MM-per-year price untenable for the Jets. The former Steelers dynamo lumbered for a career-low 3.2 yards per carry in 2019 and suited up for just two games in 2020. But, upon return in Week 5, Bell did average 4.62 yards per tote. And, considering his overall track record and reduced price, it was a no-brainer move fr the Chiefs.
With Bell, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Mitchell Schwartz, and Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs’ offense now features five former first-team All-Pros on the active roster. As a Steeler, Bell posted 1,800-plus scrimmage yards three times en route to the 2014 and ’17 All-Pro teams. He added three 75-catch seasons in that span, making him one of the league’s most dynamic offensive weapons.
Latest On Le’Veon Bell, Dolphins
Although the Chiefs profile as a team that would give Le’Veon Bell a better chance to compete for a Super Bowl championship, he trains in Miami during the offseason. And the Dolphins are not bowing out of this pursuit.
The Dolphins are believed to have offered Bell a two-year deal, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets, noting that the team appears to be offering notable money as well. The Dolphins are indeed willing to dole out a “fair amount” of cash for the former All-Pro running back, Michael Giardi of NFL.com tweets.
The Dolphins hold more than $15MM in cap space; the Chiefs sit at $6MM-plus. The Chiefs believed they were on track to land Bell by Wednesday night; the Dolphins’ offer may well be holding up a Bell-to-Missouri pledge. Sean McDermott confirmed the Bills were looking into Bell, but nothing has emerged on this front over the past few hours.
Were Bell to sign with either team, he would have a chance to face the Jets. The Chiefs play the Jets in Week 8. While COVID-19 protocols would not allow Bell to join the Dolphins in a game this week, when they host the Jets, the AFC East teams’ second 2020 meeting comes in November. The Bills’ rematch with the Jets comes in Week 7.
Miami has used 2019 seventh-round pick Myles Gaskin as its primary running back as of late, doing so despite signing Jordan Howard and trading for Matt Breida this spring. Breida is a 2021 free agent, while Howard can be released free of dead-money charges next year.