Raiders Interested In Le’Veon Bell
Could Le’Veon Bell reunite with Antonio Brown in Oakland? The Raiders are a sleeper team for the running back, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com hears similar buzz as the Raiders are seeking to use their cap room on offensive firepower while bolstering the defense through the draft. 
Many teams would like to add Bell to the backfield, but only certain clubs are expected to go into the $12MM+/year range for his services. The Raiders, who are desperate for an offensive spark, could be in a position to add another elite weapon days after adding Brown.
Meanwhile, the Jets are the favorites to sign Bell, in the estimation of Peter King of NBC Sports. Lately, we’ve been hearing that the Jets will focus their efforts on second-tier running backs, but it appears there’s been a shift of thinking in New Jersey. Armed with $100MM+ in cap space, the Jets certainly have the resources to add the ex-Steelers back. King can’t envision Bell joining the Colts, unless it was at a discount, and that seems unlikely given the money sacrificed by Bell in 2018. King also believes the Redskins and Dolphins will be in the mix.
TE Dwayne Allen To Sign With Dolphins
Tight end Dwayne Allen is set to join another AFC East team. The veteran told ESPN’s Josina Anderson that he’s going to sign with the Dolphins (Twitter link). It’s a two-year deal worth $7MM, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
The veteran has been busy since being released by the Patriots last week. The 29-year-old also met with the Ravens, Bills, and Lions. We learned earlier this week that Allen was set to meet with Miami.
The 2012 third-round pick spent the first six years of his career with the Colts before being dealt to the Patriots in 2017. After having compiled at least 350 receiving yards in three of his five healthy seasons, Allen didn’t play as much of a role in the offense during his two seasons in New England.
In 29 games (16 starts), Allen only hauled in 13 receptions for 113 yards and one score. While Allen has earned some recent praise for his blocking prowess, Pro Football Focus still ranked him 65th among 70 eligible tight ends in 2018.
Dolphins To Release Danny Amendola
Another veteran will be departing the Dolphins. They are releasing Danny Amendola, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).
Parting ways with the veteran wide receiver will create $6MM in cap room for Miami, which will be hit with no dead-money charges. The 33-year-old target is the latest Dolphins veteran to receive his walking papers.
Amendola also has interest in rejoining the Patriots, per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe (on Twitter). The Dolphins and Amendola’s agent went through discussions about keeping him in Miami, per Rapoport (via Twitter), but a release will take place anyway.
Amendola signed a two-year, $12MM deal with the Dolphins in 2018. He functioned as an every-week starter for a Dolphins team riddled with receiver injuries, posting 579 receiving yards and catching one touchdown pass. But even as former Patriots assistant Brian Flores takes over, along with former Pats wideouts coach-turned-Fins OC Chad O’Shea, the longtime New England wideout will head for free agency.
This cut will bump the Dolphins’ salary cap space north of $23MM, but they plan on adding significantly to that figure before free agency opens.
The 10-year veteran was rumored to be one of the players the rebuilding Dolphins were targeting for release, along with Ryan Tannehill‘s lofty salary. They have already cut Andre Branch and Ted Larsen. Miami is rumored to be set to release Josh Sitton and DeVante Parker as well, also dangling Robert Quinn in trade offers.
Dwayne Allen Meeting With Lions, Dolphins
Free agent tight end Dwayne Allen‘s visit with the Lions has wrapped up, and he’s now on track to meet with the Dolphins, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Allen was released last Saturday by the Patriots, but a market has quickly developed for his services. The Ravens, already flush with tight end talent, met with Allen earlier this week, as did the Bills. Both the Dolphins and Lions employ former Patriots coordinators — Brian Flores and Matt Patricia, respectively — as head coaches, while former New England staffer Brian Daboll is Buffalo’s offensive play-caller.
Allen, 29, was once a relatively prolific receiving tight end during his run with the Colts, topping 50 targets and 25 reception in three of his five Indianapolis campaigns. Since being traded to the Patriots prior to the 2017 season, however, Allen has essentially become a sixth offensive lineman. In his two years in New England, Allen has managed only 26 total targets, and 22 of those looks came during his debut season with the Patriots. In 2018, Allen played 438 offensive snaps, but ran a route on only 128 of those plays.
Miami didn’t get much production out of its tight ends in 2018, as second-round rookie Mike Gesicki led the unit with 22 receptions. Gesicki will return next season, while Nick O’Leary and Durham Smythe are also under contract. A.J. Derby and MarQueis Gray, meanwhile, are each headed for unrestricted free agency.
Dolphins Unlikely To Re-Sign Cameron Wake
It sounds like Cameron Wake will be playing for a new team in 2019. The Dolphins have not made an effort to re-sign the impending free agent defensive end, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. 
[RELATED: Dolphins Shopping Robert Quinn]
Wake, meanwhile, has already received interest from multiple teams, so the veteran figures to stick around for an eleventh pro season. The 37-year-old hasn’t earned a Pro Bowl nod since 2016, but he’s still playing at a fairly high level. Last year, Wake recorded six sacks and 36 total tackles across 14 games.
“Another jersey?” Wake said. “Ideally, no. But I mean, again, if option number one is not in my favor and they don’t want me but I can still play and I can still provide and still enjoy it whatever needs to happen. If it makes sense then I’ll do it. If it doesn’t then I won’t.”
So far, the Dolphins are the only NFL team that Wake has ever known. He has 98 career sacks to his credit, but only one career playoff appearance.
Dolphins Release Ted Larsen
The Dolphins are cutting guard Ted Larsen, a league source tells Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Dolphins also made their release of defensive end Andre Branch official. Between the two cuts, the Dolphins will save $9.15MM in cap space for 2019. 
Larsen, 32 in June, joined the ‘Fins on a three-year free agent deal in March of 2017. Unfortunately, he was plagued by injuries in his first year and underperformed in 2018. Last year, Larsen graded out as the second-worst qualified guard in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. For the Dolphins, this move was something of a no-brainer – dropping the veteran meant $2.125MM in savings versus $417K in dead money.
Branch signed a three-year, $24MM deal with the Dolphins in 2017, the same year as Larsen, but he hasn’t been worth the coin. After starting all 14 of his games in 2017, the 29-year-old only started one of his 14 games in 2018. Branch finished the 2018 campaign with 25 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Dolphins Shopping Robert Quinn?
- The Dolphins “have had trade conversations” about defensive end Robert Quinn, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Quinn is heading into the final year of his contract, and is due $12MM this year. Rapsheet says the “thought is” that if they aren’t able to trade him they’ll release him, which echoes what we heard at the end of the regular season. In the video posted, Rapoport does sound very high on Quinn’s ability to land on his feet. There’s “no doubt” that Quinn will be “coveted” on the open market if he’s released, according to Rapoport. Quinn’s production hasn’t been anywhere near what it was in his first few years in the league, but he’s still only 28. He’s coming off a 6.5 sack season in Miami.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/6/19
Here are today’s restricted free agent and exclusive-rights free agent tender decisions:
RFAs
Tendered at original-round level:
- Giants: WR Corey Coleman
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Dolphins: G Isaac Asiata, G/T Jesse Davis, T Zach Sterup, DE Jonathan Woodard
- Lions: S Charles Washington
- Giants: OL Jon Halapio, FB Elijhaa Penny, K Aldrick Rosas
- Panthers: DE Bryan Cox Jr.
Non-tendered:
- Giants: DL Jordan Williams
Dolphins Want Minkah Fitzpatrick At Safety
- The Dolphins haven’t told Minkah Fitzpatrick whether they want him to play safety or cornerback in 2019, but they want him to be a safety in the long run, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears. He could get a head start on the safety plan this year, but that will depend on what happens with incumbents T.J. McDonald and Reshad Jones. Right now, it seems unlikely that the Dolphins would move on from either safety. Cutting McDonald would save only $1.4MM versus $4.6MM in dead money. Meanwhile, Jones is already guaranteed $11MM for 2019.
Four Teams Interested In Dwayne Allen
A market is already starting to take shape for Dwayne Allen. The Ravens, Bills, Dolphins, and Lions all have interest in meeting with the tight end, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
Over the weekend, the Patriots parted ways with the 29-year-old, making him immediately available. The Patriots are open to bringing him back at a cheaper rate, but they might not get that opportunity given the early interest he is receiving.
Allen was set to enter the final year of his contract in 2019 with a base salary of $6.4MM. By cutting him, the Pats saved about $7.3MM in cap room, boosting their total cap space to roughly $25MM.
Allen spent the first six seasons of his career with the Colts before being dealt to the Patriots in 2017. After having compiled at least 350 receiving yards in three of his five healthy seasons, the 2012 third-rounder didn’t play as much of a role in the offense in New England.
In 29 games (16 starts), Allen only hauled in 13 receptions for 113 yards and one score. Allen also appeared in each of the Patriots’ six playoff games during that span, but he didn’t record a reception in those contests. While Allen has earned some recent praise for his blocking prowess, Pro Football Focus ranked him just 65th among 70 eligible tight ends in 2018.