Details On Bobby McCain's Deal
- Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald has some details on cornerback Bobby McCain‘s new four-year, $27MM extension with the Dolphins. The deal lowered his cap hit for 2018 from $1.9MM to $1.5MM, giving Miami a little bit of extra wiggle room this year. Meanwhile, he has no guarantees on his deal beyond the 2020 season. McCain’s deal should keep him under team control through 2022.
This Date In Transactions History: Dolphins Sign Chad Johnson
In the summer of 2012, the Dolphins found themselves less-than-enamored with their options at wide receiver. The Dolphins had just recently traded Brandon Marshall – fresh off of his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season – to the Bears for a pair of third-round picks. Then, in the draft, they did not select a wide receiver until the sixth round.
‘‘You would like to have some players make it easy and distinguish themselves, maybe make the picture a little bit clearer,’’ head coach Joe Philbin said (via The Boston Globe). ‘‘We have to catch the ball more consistently at every position on offense, because it is not quite where it needs to be.’’
After missing out on the first and second wave of free agent wide receivers, the Dolphins placed a call to Drew Rosenhaus to inquire on Chad Ochocinco (née Chad Johnson). On June 11, 2012, the Dolphins inked the eccentric veteran to a one-year deal.
Ochocinco’s career credentials were as impressive as his touchdown celebrations were inventive. To that point, he had 766 catches for 11,059 yards and 67 touchdowns, six Pro Bowl nods, and two First-Team All-Pro selections.
However, the receiver’s best days were spent with the Bengals and he looked like a shell of his former self with the Patriots in the 2011 season. In his lone campaign with New England, Johnson had just 15 catches for 276 yards and one touchdown and was targeted just 32 times in total. Johnson clearly didn’t mesh with the Patriots’ offense and he didn’t impress in his two intra-divisional games against the Dolphins either. Against Miami, he had just one catch in each of those two games.
Ochocinco – who changed his name back to Johnson shortly after signing with Miami – didn’t mesh with Philbin and the rest of the staff. The melding of personalities turned out to be the least of his issues. In August, Johnson was arrested on domestic battery charges. Johnson proclaimed his innocence, but the Dolphins released him the very next day. Thanks to “Hard Knocks,” we have video of Philbin’s final conversation with Johnson.
Johnson’s deal with the Dolphins up being his final NFL contract. Johnson went on to play for the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes in 2014 and was suspended for the 2015 season when he skipped mandatory practices. He re-emerged in 2017 to play in a single game for the Monterrey Fundidores of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional de México, where he scored on a 41-yard touchdown reception in the Fundidores’ winning effort.
Dolphins Notes: Gesicki, Taylor
- Dolphins second-round tight end Mike Gesicki has yet to impress during the media portions of practices. While the Penn State product clearly has some work to do, it sounds like Miami’s coaching staff is optimistic about the prospect’s future in the NFL. “Mike is a little bit unique,” offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains told Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald. “[Durham Smythe] is a ‘Y’ and Mike G is more of a … We’ve got to find out exactly what he can and can’t do and what he can and can’t handle early. As the season goes and the offseason goes and training camp, his package will expand and his routes will expand as we found out what he can and can’t do.” To start the season, Gesicki is expected to backup A.J. Derby.
- Beasley writes that filling Ndamukong Suh‘s role is easier said than done. However, several Dolphins players could be ready for the challenge, and the writer specifically points to 2017 third-rounder Vincent Taylor. “It’s hard losing a guy like Suh just knowing what he’s capable of doing; but at the end of the day, it’s a business decision,” Taylor said. “I know all of the things when I was coming in, what he taught me, so I learned some of the things that he taught me.”
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Poll: Which AFC East Team Had The Best Offseason?
Over the past week, we’ve asked you which team had the best offseason from the AFC North, NFC West, and AFC West. Today we’ll take a look at the offseasons of teams from another active division, the AFC East.
The Jets started things off by making a bold move to acquire their quarterback of the future when they traded up to get the third overall pick from the Colts. They ended up selecting Sam Darnold, and also signed Teddy Bridgewater to complete their quarterback room that will return only Josh McCown from last year. They released Bryce Petty and traded Christian Hackenberg, giving up on both of their former draft picks. They signed cornerback Trumaine Johnson to a huge contract in free agency, and also picked up kicker Cairo Santos and running back Isaiah Crowell. They cut longtime headache defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson and signed Terrelle Pryor to bolster last year’s woeful receiving corp. They fired offensive coordinator John Morton and replaced him with Jeremy Bates. The Jets shocked everyone last year with how competitive they were able to be, and will look to build on that progress in 2018.
The Bills also had a bold draft strategy. They too traded up for their quarterback of the future, taking Josh Allen with the seventh overall pick. They took linebacker Tremaine Edmunds later in the first to be the quarterback of their defense. They lost guard Richie Incognito to retirement, and were mostly quiet in free agency aside from signing Star Lotulelei to a five-year deal. They did add A.J. McCarron to compete with Allen to be the starting quarterback, and fired offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, replacing him with Brian Daboll. The biggest move they made however, was trading their starting quarterback from the past three seasons, Tyrod Taylor, to the Browns. The Bills ended the longest active playoff drought in major professional sports this past season, and will look to build on that progress with a first-time starter under center in 2018.
The Patriots had a relatively quiet offseason in terms of transactions. They did trade wide receiver Brandin Cooks to the Rams for a first round pick, but didn’t make many moves in free agency. The real story of the Patriots’ offseason was all the drama surrounding Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft, and Rob Gronkowski. They took two players from Georgia with their two first round picks, offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn and running back Sony Michel. The Patriots will return mostly the same roster from last year’s AFC-winning team, and will hope Brady can continue to play at an MVP level as he gets another year older.
The Dolphins mostly stayed pat like the Patriots, presumably due to their dire cap situation. After lots of speculation they would look to add a quarterback in the first round to replace Ryan Tannehill, they ultimately selected Minkah Fitzpatrick with the 11th overall pick. Their offseason was mostly defined by the players they got rid of, like Ndamukong Suh, Julius Thomas, Mike Pouncey, and Lawrence Timmons. They did sign receivers Danny Amendola and Albert Wilson, and veteran running back Frank Gore. The Dolphins had a disappointing season last year after Tannehill re-tore his ACL, and the team’s success in 2018 will be nearly entirely dependent on his health.
Which team do you think had the best offseason in the AFC East? Vote in PFR’s poll below and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!
Which AFC East Team Had The Best Offseason?
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New York Jets 43% (592)
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Buffalo Bills 24% (332)
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New England Patriots 16% (222)
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Miami Dolphins 16% (218)
Total votes: 1,364
Brock Osweiler Earns Praise From OC
- As Brock Osweiler competes with David Fales and Bryce Petty to be the Dolphins backup quarterback, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says the veteran needs to improve his accuracy if he has any hope of making the team. However, while Osweiler doesn’t seem to be the favorite for the gig, it sounds like he has the support of the coaching staff. “What Brock has is unbelievable command of the offense,” said offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. “He was in it. He got to learn from the best in the game — No. 18 [Peyton Manning] — and when you watch his huddle etiquette, his line of scrimmage procedure etiquette, he does an outstanding job there.”
[SOURCE LINK]
Dolphins Could Still Address CB
- The Dolphins recently picked up $17MM in salary cap space when Ndamukong Suh‘s contract officially came off the books on June 1, and while much of that money will be used to sign the rest of the club’s draft class, or put away for roster emergencies, Miami could utilize some of that cash on a cornerback upgrade, as Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald opines. Although the Dolphins recently locked up slot corner Bobby McCain on a four-year extension, they could still use another outside defensive back to play opposite Xavien Howard. As Salguero notes, Adam Jones, Jeremy Lane, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are among the veteran defenders still available, as are Bashaud Breeland, Delvin Breaux, and Kayvon Webster.
Dolphins Sign Three Draft Picks
The Dolphins announced the signings of three draft picks on Wednesday. Third-round linebacker Jerome Baker, fourth-round tight end Durham Smythe, and fourth-round running back Kalen Ballage have inked their deals, leaving second-round tight end Mike Gesicki as the last straggler in the team’s eight-man class. 
Baker was Ohio State’s leading tackler last year as he registered 72 stops in total. He also had eight tackles for a loss and 3.5 sacks in his final year on campus. As shown on Roster Resource, Baker projects to be one of the team’s first linebackers off of the bench behind starters Kiko Alonso, Raekwon McMillan, and Chase Allen. Some evaluators feel that Baker is too small to play linebacker at the pro level, but Alonso doesn’t seem concerned about the 6’1″, 229-pound prospect.
“Nowadays it’s all about, ‘Can you run?’” Alonso said recently (via Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post). “You see what linebacker position is nowadays. It’s getting smaller and smaller.”
Smythe, a Notre Dame product, put himself on the NFL radar with his blocking ability. He figures to do the dirty work while fellow rookie Gesicki figures to play a bigger role in the passing game.
Ballage, a tall running back at 6’3″, averaged 4.4 yards per carry while at Arizona State. He’ll likely serve as the Dolphins’ No. 3 running back this year behind Kenyan Drake and veteran Frank Gore.
Could Dolphins Consider DRC?
With some serious questions at the No. 2 cornerback position, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald wonders if the Dolphins could use some of their newfound cap space to sign a veteran late in the offseason. He mentions the names of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Jeremy Lane, though Lane’s status is up in the air after he pled guilty to reckless driving on what was initially a DUI arrest.
In theory, the Dolphins have Cordrea Tankersley and Tony Lippett to duke it out for the job, but Tankersley struggled as a rookie and Lippett is still recovering from Achilles surgery. They could also move Bobby McCain – who just signed a four-year, $27MM extension – to the outside, but he made a name for himself covering slot receivers. Instead of shuffling McCain or first-round pick Minkah Fitzpatrick to different places, the Dolphins may instead prefer to dip into the free agent market.
- The Dolphins expect to use new wide receiver Albert Wilson in a number of roles, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. “When we looked at Albert on film, we were intrigued, obviously with the speed,” receivers coach Ben Johnson said. “We were intrigued with the run-after-catch ability. I think all of that has been there. It’s been impressive to me to see him come in, pick up this system and learn these fundamentals that he wasn’t really doing the same thing in Kansas City. He’s really done a nice job the past two weeks. It’s really triggered us to say he’s not limited in the slot, he’s not limited outside. He can line up in the backfield. He can do so many different things for us. His versatility is really, really showing up.”
Dolphins Have Open RB Competition
The Dolphins have a number of running backs who could realistically earn the starting gig this season. Kenyan Drake and Frank Gore are the obvious frontrunners, and the organization is also expecting rookie Kalen Ballage to contribute at some point during the upcoming campaign.
With several options to choose from, running backs coach Eric Studesville made it sound like the Dolphins won’t necessarily opt for a two-headed (or even three-headed) monster.
“The guy that gives us the best chance to win, that gives the Miami Dolphins the best chance to win,” Studesville told Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, “that’s who’s got to be the guy who’s out there for us and helping us win football games.
As the Dolphins sort out their running back depth, let’s check out some more notes out of the AFC…
- In case you missed it, the Dolphins made a pair of moves yesterday. The team signed first-round defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick to his rookie contract, and they signed cornerback Bobby McCain to an extension later that afternoon.
Dolphins, Bobby McCain Agree To Extension
The Dolphins have made Bobby McCain the league’s highest-paid nickelback. McCain has agreed to a four-year, $27MM extension with the team that includes $13MM guaranteed, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). 
McCain, a fifth-round pick back in 2015, was slated to enter the final year of his contract. After the Dolphins carved out an additional $17MM thanks to Ndamukong Suh‘s post-June 1 release, the Dolphins quickly moved to put their cap room towards a new deal with the talented young corner.
McCain, 25 in August, has appeared in every Dolphins regular season game over the last three years. Last year, he set new career highs in interceptions (two), passes defensed (seven), and total tackles (45). Pro Football Focus ranked McCain as the 46th best qualified cornerback in the NFL in 2017. He was easily the Dolphins’ best cornerback according to the advanced metrics (and by any measure, really), as he outperformed outside starters Xavien Howard and Cordrea Tankersley.
McCain’s deal bests the four-year, $20MM deal ($8MM fully guaranteed) signed by Patrick Robinson with the Saints this offseason. Although McCain is five years younger than Robinson, it’s impressive that he came away with more considering Robinson’s stellar 2017 performance and the fact that McCain did not have the added leverage of the open market.
The Dolphins project to return Howard and Tankersley as their starters on the outside with McCain covering the slot. First-round safety Minkah Fitzpatrick – who formally inked his rookie deal on Friday – will start in between along with standout strong safety Reshad Jones.