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.
Dolphins Contacting Teams On Tannehill
Set to be replaced as the Dolphins’ starting quarterback, Ryan Tannehill has surfaced in trade talks at the Combine, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. However, this may be the franchise’s last-ditch attempt to gain value for its soon-to-be former starter.
These talks can be categorized as the Dolphins reminding teams Tannehill is available, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. The Dolphins are initiating the conversations on the 30-year-old passer, per Salguero, who adds the talks are believed to be preliminary.
The Redskins have discussed Tannehill with the Dolphins, Salguero adds. Washington was connected to a potential Josh Rosen pursuit as well. The latter would be a much better option, financially speaking, being owed barely $6MM in base salary through 2021. Tannehill is attached to an $18.73MM 2019 base.
Odds appear to be against the Dolphins moving Tannehill, whom teams are regarding more as a backup option rather than a player to install as a stopgap starter, Salguero adds, noting also that the 2012 first-rounder is, understandably, believed to want to go to a team that would give him a chance to compete for a starting job. Tannehill started for six seasons, missing all of 2017 because of the most severe of his knee injuries.
There are not as many teams in need of bridge starters as there were last year, with five quarterbacks going in the 2018 first round. Washington and Jacksonville, which kicked the tires on Tannehill, are the main candidates. And the Jaguars are the Nick Foles frontrunners.
It will cost the Dolphins more than $13MM to release Tannehill. He is one of many veterans the team plans to release in the coming days. Miami cut Andre Branch earlier on Saturday.
Dolphins Release DE Andre Branch
The Dolphins have made one of their first cost-cutting moves. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the team is releasing veteran pass-rusher Andre Branch.
Following an underwhelming tenure with the Jaguars, the former second-rounder joined the Dolphins back in 2016. He proceeded to sign a three-year, $24MM deal with the organization in 2017, but he hasn’t necessarily been worth the investment. After starting all 14 of his games in 2017, the 29-year-old only started one of his 14 games in 2018.
He finished the campaign with 25 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus wasn’t fond of his performance in 2018, ranking him 101st among 103 eligible edge defenders. With Branch set to earn close to $7MM in 2019, the Dolphins decided to move on from the veteran.
Cameron Wake and William Hayes are set to hit free agency this summer, leaving the team with Robert Quinn, Charles Harris, and Johnathan Woodard (ERFA) as their lone defensive ends. There were rumors that the Dolphins could be frontrunners for Patriots’ lineman Trey Flowers, and the organization can hope that some of the other top free agent pass rushers (a grouping that includes DeMarcus Lawrence, Jadeveon Clowney, Frank Clark and Dee Ford) somehow don’t get franchised.
Dolphins, Xavien Howard Discussing Deal
The Dolphins met with cornerback Xavien Howard to discuss a new long-term deal, according to ESPN.com’s Cameron Wolfe. Howard is set to enter the final year of his rookie deal this year, so a fresh contract could make sense for both sides.
Howard is expected to command at least $15MM annually on his next contract, but it’s unclear if Miami is willing to go that high. Some have speculated that Howard could be a trade candidate, but the Dolphins say he’s staying put.
“Yes, I’m very confident that he’ll be there. Xavien has been in the building. He’s coming back, working out and getting in shape again after the Pro Bowl,” GM Chris Grier said. “He’s doing good. We’ve been hanging out around him. He wants to be a Miami Dolphin and we want him to be a Dolphin.”
If the Dolphins can’t hammer out a deal with Howard, they can wait until next year and potentially cuff him with the franchise tag. With club control beyond ’19, the Dolphins aren’t necessarily in any rush.
In a more pressing matter, the Dolphins want to hang on to right tackle Ja’Wuan James, an impending free agent. Unfortunately for Miami, things could get costly if he hits the open market.
Quality tackles are hard to come by, and Wolfe hears buzz at the combine that James could command upwards of $10MM/year. Two agents tell Wolfe that if they were representing James, they’d shoot to surpass the five-year, $47.5MM deal that Lions right tackle Rick Wagner signed two seasons ago. Beating that mark would make James the second-highest-paid right tackle in the NFL behind the Philadelphia Eagles’ Lane Johnson. The Dolphins should know more this week when they meet with James’ reps.
Dolphins Trey Flowers Frontrunners?
Big changes have occurred in Miami, and more are coming. The Dolphins are expected to shed the contracts of Ryan Tannehill, Robert Quinn, Andre Branch and Josh Sitton (and perhaps more notable names). But the rebuilding team may look to add an impact player familiar with Brian Flores‘ philosophies. The buzz in Indianapolis has led DraftAnalyst.com’s Tony Pauline to call the Dolphins the favorites for Trey Flowers, a prospective UFA who helped the Patriots reach the past three Super Bowls. New England’s top pass rusher may stand to benefit from the likely franchise tags the Cowboys, Texans, Seahawks and Chiefs apply to DeMarcus Lawrence, Jadeveon Clowney, Frank Clark and Dee Ford. This marketplace could place Flowers in position to push for a near-$20MM-AAV deal, despite sack numbers that don’t correspond with such a pact. However, the Patriots will make a strong attempt to retain their top edge defender. It may take an atypical Patriots contract to keep him, though.
Dolphins Want Ja’Wuan James Back
Set to become one of this year’s top free agents, Ja’Wuan James will have a familiar team pursuing him. The Dolphins are preparing a pitch to keep James, GM Chris Grier said (via Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald).
However, Grier added that Miami’s new-look front office came to Indianapolis without having discussed terms with the right tackle. Grier plans to meet with James’ representation at the Combine.
James joins Donovan Smith and Daryl Williams as the top tackles on this year’s market, which is another thin contingent. With the Buccaneers ready to keep Smith via the franchise tag if they have to, the right tackles’ stock will rise. Williams is also coming off an injury-marred season, further elevating James’ earning potential. It would seemingly stand to take a lot for the Dolphins to keep their five-year right tackle off the market.
In advance of his age-27 season, James has also battled injuries — missing eight games in 2017 and nine in 2015 — but the former first-round pick suited up for 15 contests last season. He graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 34 overall tackle last season. Though James has not been a top-tier right tackle, he is a generally well-regarded option.
The Dolphins considered cutting James, prior to his fifth-year option vesting. They also discussed a deal to trade James to Denver for C.J. Anderson last year before nixing it. It appears Miami’s new regime will see what it will take to keep James in Miami.
Dolphins Unimpressed By Will Grier; Clelin Ferrell Could Make Sense At No. 13 Overall
- The Dolphins have plenty of holes to fill during this year’s draft, and as Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald writes, Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell could be a perfect fit for the team’s pass rush if the Fins do not use their first-round pick on a QB. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, citing the NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, says Miami should be able to build its O-line throughout the draft, and that the team was not particularly impressed by West Virginia signal-caller Will Grier. Jackson also explores the Dolphins’ other options for their No. 13 overall pick, including trade-back scenarios.
Dolphins’ Josh Sitton Expects To Be Released
Dolphins guard Josh Sitton expects to be released this offseason, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Sitton has one year remaining on the two-year, $15MM deal he inked with the club last year. 
Sitton, 33 in June, suffered a season-ending torn rotator cuff injury in the very first game of the 2018 season. It was undoubtedly frustrating for the veteran who had been largely healthy over the course of his previous nine NFL seasons.
Sitton may not match the value of his last contract, but he should find plenty of suitors on the open market. In 2017, his final year with the Bears, Sitton graded out as the fifth-best guard in the league, per Pro Football Focus, and the advanced metrics show that he’s been consistently solid throughout his career.
If the Dolphins cut Sitton, they’ll save $5MM against the 2019 cap with $2MM left in dead money. They may also have to replace pending free agent tackle Ja’Wuan James, which would revamp the right side of their line.
Dolphins Hire Brendan Farrell
- Alabama special teams/offense analyst Brendan Farrell will join the Dolphins as an assistant special teams coach, per Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com. Miami is attempting to rebuild its special teams staff after losing longtime coordinator/associate head coach Darren Rizzi to the Saints earlier this year. Farrell will work under Danny Crossman, the former Bills’ ST coach who joined the Dolphins earlier this month. Farrell previously served as the special teams coordinator at Northwestern State.
Dolphins OL Coach Wants To Retain Ja’Wuan James
- The Dolphins will have a tough decision to make on free agent offensive lineman Ja’Wuan James, but it sounds like he has at least one fan in the team’s new offensive line coach, Pat Flaherty. “I think it keeps the continuity there, if we’re able to retain him,” Flaherty told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “We sure hope he does [stay with Miami]. He’s a good football player. I’ve had an opportunity to go back and watch every game from 2018. He’s a fairly young guy also, so he has some things technique-wise that he can get better.” Agent Drew Rosenhaus (who does not represent James) recently predicted that the Dolphins would make 26-year-old the highest-paid right tackle in the NFL.
- The Dolphins have hired Mike Judge as their new defensive quality control coach, according to agent Paul Sheehy’s Twitter. The former Patriots intern has spent the past 11 years as Navy’s fullback coach. The team compiled a 84-47 during his tenure.
[SOURCE LINK]