NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/7/20
We’ll keep track of today’s late round signings here:
- The Ravens inked third-round pick Tyre Phillips. With the Mississippi State offensive lineman under contract, the Ravens have now taken care of seven of their ten draft picks. Phillips played tackle in college, but he’ll likely move to the inside with Marshal Yanda retiring.
- The Texans signed offensive tackle Charlie Heck, their fourth-round tackle.
- The Patriots signed third-round linebacker Anfernee Jennings (Alabama), sixth-round guard Michael Onwenu (Michigan), and seventh-round center Dustin Woodard (Memphis), according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Jennings wasn’t the most athletic rusher in this year’s class, but his hard-nosed playing style and technique made him a strong fit for Bill Belichick‘s defense. BB’s relationship with ‘Bama head coach Nick Saban likely helped to lead Jennings to New England. The Pats have also inked kicker Justin Rohrwasser, linebacker Cassh Maluia, and tackle Justin Herron (all of whom are Day 3 picks), leaving only three unsigned players in their ten-player draft class.
- The Bills signed a trio of picks from the back of their draft, per a club announcement: sixth-round kicker Tyler Bass, sixth-round wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins, and seventh-round cornerback Dane Jackson. Hodgins, out of Oregon State, managed 86 receptions for 1,171 yards and 13 touchdowns in his final year on campus.
- The Dolphins inked a pair of fifth-round edge rushers in Curtis Weaver (Boise State) and Jason Strowbridge (UNC), as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets. The bulk of their 11-man draft class still remains unsigned, so there’s more work to be done.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/6/20
We’ll keep track of today’s late-round signings here:
- The Dolphins signed fourth-round offensive lineman Solomon Kindley, according to a team press release. Kindley, a redshirt junior out of Georgia, was able to make up for his so-so technique with 330+ pounds of bulk and a hard-nosed approach in the trenches. At the pro level, he’ll need some serious seasoning before becoming a regular. On the plus side, he held his own against South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw last year; Kinlaw was selected No. 14 overall by the Niners for his ability to overwhelm most offensive linemen. As the No. 111 overall pick, Kindley will collect roughly $4.1MM over the course of his four-year deal.
Dolphins WR Albert Wilson Renegotiates Contract
Albert Wilson and the Dolphins have agreed to a renegotiated deal, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter). The veteran wideout’s contract now has a base value of $3MM with another $1MM in incentives.
Wilson was set to make just under $9.5MM in 2020, and he had a cap hit close to $11MM. While he’s certainly not making that kind of money under his new deal, ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe opines (on Twitter) that it’s still more than he would have made on the “free market.”
Meanwhile, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets that a pay cut seemed inevitable at some point this offseason. The move should free up between $5MM and $6MM for the Dolphins.
Wilson has spent the past two seasons in Miami, but he’s been limited to only 20 games (seven starts). In total, the 27-year-old has hauled in 69 receptions for 742 yards and five touchdowns during his stint with the Dolphins. He also has 61 rushing yards on 13 attempts, and he’s completed two of three passing attempts for 72 yards and one touchdown.
Don Shula Passes Away At Age Of 90
Legendary Dolphins head coach Don Shula passed away on Monday morning, per a club announcement. The league’s all-time winningest coach was 90.
After his playing career with the Browns, Colts, and Redskins, Shula began his coaching career as the Lions’ defensive coordinator in 1960. After spending some time as the Colts’ head coach, the Dolphins traded a first-round pick for him and the rest, as they say, is history. Shula went on to coach the NFL’s only perfect season in 1972 and captured another Super Bowl ring in 1973.
“Don Shula will always be remembered as one of the greatest coaches and contributors in the history of our game,” commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He made an extraordinarily positive impact on so many lives. The winningest coach in NFL history and the only one to lead a team to a perfect season, Coach Shula lived an unparalleled football life. As a player, Hall of Fame coach, and long-time member and co-chair of the NFL Competition Committee, he was a remarkable teacher and mentor who for decades inspired excellence and exemplified integrity. His iconic legacy will endure through his family and continue to inspire generations to come.”
Shula coached the Dolphins all the way through the 1995 season and was enshrined in Canton in 1997. Shula managed to win with different teams in very different eras, making him one of the league’s most respected and beloved figures.
“Don Shula was the patriarch of the Miami Dolphins for 50 years,” the Dolphins said in a statement. “He brought the winning edge to our franchise and put the Dolphins and the city of Miami in the national sports scene. Our deepest thoughts and prayers go out to Mary Anne along with his children Dave, Donna, Sharon, Anne and Mike.”
Shula holds the NFL record with 347 total wins as a head coach. For reference, George Halas has 324 wins between the regular season and postseason and Bill Belichick has 304.
We here at PFR extend our condolences to the Shula family as well his extended Dolphins family.
Dolphins To Try Robert Hunt At RT
- Some slotted Louisiana offensive line prospect Robert Hunt as a better guard fit than tackle in the NFL, but the Dolphins will station their second-round pick at right tackle to start his career, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald notes. Hunt would then compete with incumbent Jesse Davis — who graded outside Pro Football Focus’ top 60 tackles last season — at right tackle and then slide inside to guard if the Dolphins decide he’s not a good tackle fit. Davis will be the Dolphins’ first-stringer when camp opens, per Salguero. Should Hunt prove to be a better fit at guard, he could compete for the spot opposite recently signed Ereck Flowers.
- As could be expected based on Austin Jackson‘s age (20), Julie’n Davenport is expected to begin as Miami’s left tackle, Salguero adds. Included in the Laremy Tunsil trade, Davenport suffered an injury that landed him on IR early last season. He returned at the midway point and started the Dolphins’ final seven games. With Jackson being drafted 18th, it should be expected he will be in the lineup at some point in 2020.
Former Dolphins, Bears TE Dion Sims Retires From NFL
Dion Sims is calling it a career. On Friday, the former Bears and Dolphins tight end announced his retirement from the NFL. 
“Decided to hang my cleats up after 20 years of playing American football,” Sims tweeted. “God is good and I’m grateful!!!!!”
Sims spent six of those football playing years in the NFL – four with Miami and two with Chicago. We haven’t seen him on the field since 2018, however, so his retirement doesn’t come as a shock.
Sims, who turned 29 in February, never topped 30 receptions or 300 yards receiving during his six-year run. However, he was a solid blocker for most of his career. He also earned some solid money in his playing days: $11MM+ in total, with the bulk of it coming from the Bears.
The Bears gave Sims a three-year, $18MM deal in 2017, a solid payday at the time. That free agent class also featured TEs Vernon Davis, Jared Cook, Martellus Bennett, Jack Doyle, and Luke Willson.
Sims exits the sport with 91 receptions for 888 yards and nine touchdowns.
Dolphins To Trade Charles Harris To Falcons
The Dolphins have agreed to trade defensive end Charles Harris to the Falcons (Twitter link via Jason Butt of The Athletic). In exchange, Atlanta will send a 2021 seventh-round pick to Miami, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. 
[RELATED: Dolphins Release Taco Charlton]
The Dolphins have been doing some spring cleaning with former first-round picks this week. On Thursday, they released defensive lineman Taco Charlton. Today, they’re moving on from Harris, who was the No. 22 overall pick in the 2017 draft.
The 6’3″ edge rusher impressed in his final two seasons at Missouri, combining for 30.5 tackles for loss and 16 sacks. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to keep up the good work at the pro level. In three years, Harris has just 3.5 sacks to his credit. He’s also made just eight starts in his 41 games.
Now, with reduced expectations, he’ll try to get his career back on track with the Falcons. He’ll provide support behind Dante Fowler Jr., the former No. 3 overall pick who broke out just in the nick of time to find free agent riches. Harris, still only 25, is under contract for just $1.94M this season.
Without Harris, the Dolphins will forge ahead with Shaq Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah as their top bookends. Ogbah inked a two-year, $15MM deal to take his talents to South Beach in March. Lawson, who notched a career-high 6.5 sacks with the Bills last year, agreed to a three-year, $30MM free agent contract.
Dolphins Waive DE Taco Charlton
The Dolphins will move on from one of its first-round defensive linemen. They waived Taco Charlton on Thursday. Miami initially claimed Charlton off waivers from Dallas last season.
Charlton did not live up to expectations with the Cowboys, who used a first-round pick on him in 2017, but did lead the 2019 Dolphins in sacks with five despite playing in only 10 games with Miami. No other Dolphin totaled more than 3.5 last season.
Miami signed multiple defensive ends this offseason — Shaq Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah — and added hybrid player Kyle Van Noy but did not make a substantial investment in the position during the draft. The Dolphins used a fifth-round pick on defensive end Jason Strowbridge.
Given Charlton’s draft pedigree and production in limited Dolphins time last season, he will be a tempting waiver claim — especially when teams can carry 90 players on their respective rosters. Charlton, though, recorded just four sacks in two seasons with the Cowboys. Dallas waived him in September of last year.
Dolphins Add 10 UDFAs
The Dolphins announced a 10-man UDFA class Wednesday. Here is the full list:
- Matt Cole, WR (McKendree)
- Jonathan Hubbard, T (Northwestern State)
- Kylan Johnson, LB (Pittsburgh)
- Benito Jones, DT (Ole Miss)
- Nick Kaltmayer, T (Kansas State)
- Ray Lima, DT (Iowa State)
- Kirk Merritt, WR (Arkansas State)
- Tyshun Render, DE (Middle Tennessee)
- Donell Stanley, C (South Carolina)
- Bryce Sterk, DE (Montana State)
The Dolphins saw 2019 UDFA Preston Williams make an impact as a rookie and will give two more a shot. A Washington transfer, Sterk recorded a Division I-FCS-best 15 sacks last season. Cole averaged 21.8 yards per catch for his Division II program last season. Merritt, who also played at Oregon, caught 153 passes for 1,811 yards and 19 touchdowns between his junior and senior seasons at the FCS level.
Jones started three seasons for Ole Miss and led SEC nose tackles with 30 stops last season. He finished with 10.5 career sacks as well. Staley started three seasons for the Gamecocks, making 23 starts at center and 11 at left guard. The Dolphins will guarantee $65K of Render’s salary, with $15K coming via signing bonus, according to the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson (on Twitter). Render forced two fumbles and recorded 3.5 sacks last season.
Chargers Liked Tua Tagovailoa At No. 6
With the No. 6 pick in the NFL Draft, the Chargers found their new quarterback in Oregon product Justin Herbert. But, even if wasn’t there, GM Tom Telesco says he would have taken a QB, no matter what. 
“We felt great about all three quarterbacks who went in the Top 6,” Telesco told Pat McAfee of Barstool Sports (Twitter link), referring to No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow and Dolphins choice Tua Tagovailoa. “Hopefully we won’t pick at No. 6 very often…if I do, I won’t be making very many picks here. If you’re going to pick this high and there’s a potential franchise quarterback, you have to take him.”
Burrow to the Bengals was long considered a sure thing and Tagovailoa was connected to the Dolphins for months. As the draft drew closer, whispers of the Dolphins’ interest in Herbert grew louder and louder. And, days before the draft, there was talk of the Dolphins trading up to the No. 3 pick to select an offensive lineman, rather than a quarterback. That’s one rumor that Telesco didn’t bite on.
“Every rumor I heard, I went through my head of, ‘How would we handle this if this happened?’,” Telesco told Pat McAfee. “Now, the whole, Miami taking a tackle at 3, maybe they really were, I just didn’t believe that one. You make plans, you talk with your head coach…you talk about trading up or down in certain situations. When you’re on the clock making the pick, you’re not discussing what you want to do, you’ve already decided.”
The opinions on Herbert are pretty mixed in the football world. Those that are high on him believe that his elite arm strength will allow him to succeed as a starter. Others are concerned about his pension for holding on to the ball for too long in the pocket. At the same time, Tagovailoa’s health remains a major question mark moving forward and Telesco says he would have been happy with either QB as the heir to Philip Rivers.