Dolphins Sign Minkah Fitzpatrick
The Dolphins have signed first rounder Minkah Fitzpatrick, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. In accordance with his slot, the defensive back will receive a four-year, $16.4MM deal with a $10MM signing bonus. 
Heading into Friday, the Dolphins were one of two teams who had yet to sign any of their draft picks. However, things changed when the calendar flipped to June. Miami had just $312K in cap room on Thursday, but gained an additional $17MM in cap space on Friday when Ndamukong Suh’s post-June 1 release became official. With that room, they carved out the necessary space to get to work on their draft class.
Fitzpatrick, the No. 11 overall pick, projects to start at free safety with Reshad Jones alongside him at strong safety. T.J. McDonald, who started every game in his suspension-shortened season, will head to the bench as the first backup behind both players.
In addition to Fitzpatrick, the Dolphins have also inked sixth-round cornerback Cornell Armstrong, seventh-round linebacker Quentin Poling, and seventh-round punter Jason Sanders, the club announced.
Five Teams Use Post-June 1 Designation
Lingering guarantees can be a rough pill to swallow for NFL teams as they move on from players, but the league’s post-June 1 designation allows clubs to spread out the dead money hit over two seasons while reaping greater benefits in the current year. This offseason, five teams took advantage of the rule to carve out some cap space. As Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes, the following clubs now have some extra breathing room to sign draft picks and add veterans in the late stages of free agency: 
- Dolphins: $17MM (Ndamukong Suh release)
- Eagles: $6MM (Mychal Kendricks release)
- Falcons: $3.5MM (Levine Toilolo release)
- Cowboys: $3MM (Orlando Scandrick release)
- Saints: $3MM (Coby Fleener release)
The additional cap space will be particularly useful for the Dolphins and Eagles, who have about $400K in cap room combined. The Falcons ($3.7MM),Saints ($4.2MM), and Cowboys ($8.5MM) are also looking forward to the extra fiscal flexibility. The extra cap room may help to jumpstart the free agent market for players such as Dez Bryant, Tre Boston, Kenny Vaccaro, Eric Reid, and others without a home at this stage of the offseason.
The Dolphins have yet to sign any of their 2018 draft picks, including top choice Minkah Fitzpatrick, but you can expect to see some movement on that front once they receive their $17MM reprieve. The Cowboys, Saints, and Eagles have already wrapped their respective draft classes and the Falcons have signed every pick except for first rounder Calvin Ridley, so those four clubs can concentrate on using their extra room for veteran additions, or new deals/contract sweeteners for current players.
Leonte Carroo Having "Minor" Knee Surgery
- Dolphins receiver Leonte Carroo will undergo “minor knee surgery” according to Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Salguero adds that Carroo is expected to miss the rest of OTAs and minicamp, but should be back on the field by the time training camp starts in July. Carroo was a third-round pick in 2016, but has done little his first two years in the league. Dolphins beat reporters have already predicted he won’t make the team this year without a strong offseason, and this injury definitely doesn’t help his chances of making the team’s 53-man roster.
Bobby McCain Discusses Contract Situation
- Dolphins‘ cornerback Bobby McCain had a breakout campaign in 2017, rating out as one of Pro Football Focus’ top players at the position. The former fifth-rounder finished the campaign having compiled 48 tackles, one sack, seven passes defended, and two interceptions. After such a productive season, reporters naturally asked the 24-year-old if he’s been approached about an extension. “I mean, I um, I mean I…” McCain stammered (via Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald). “No, I’m just going out and trying to play my best ball.” The defensive back is an impending free agent, but the Dolphins currently have little money to work with… until this weekend, when the team will free up $17MM in cap space due to the Ndamukong Suh move.
[SOURCE LINK]
Dolphins May Look To Extend Bobby McCain
- The Dolphins will look to extend cornerback Bobby McCain, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald (Twitter link) speculaties. McCain, a fifth-round pick back in 2015, is heading into the final year of his contract. Salguero thinks the Dolphins will look to lock up McCain with an extension sometime after June 1, when the cap space they freed up from the release of Ndamukong Suh becomes available.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/29/18
- Waived: OL Sean Hickey
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB Channing Stribling
- Waived/injured: S Michael Cirino
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: LB Eric Pinkins
- Waived: LB Ed Shockley, WR Malik Earl
This Date In Transactions History: Will Allen
In 2009, Will Allen was coming off three productive seasons with the Dolphins, and he was quickly establishing himself as one of the most reliable cornerbacks in the NFL. On May 26th, the cornerback signed a two-year, $16.2MM extension ($10MM guaranteed) with Miami… and he proceeded to play zero games under his new deal.
With one year remaining on his contract, Allen signed the deal prior to the 2009 season. The deal was set to kick in during the 2010 campaign and would last through 2011. He looked like he was worth the money during the first chunk of the 2009 season, compiling 21 tackles, two interceptions, and six passes defended. It quickly went down hill for the defensive back, as he tore his ACL in a Week 6 matchup with the Saints, ending his season. That offseason, Allen was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after nearly blowing through a police roadblock.
Then, one week before the 2010 season (the season when his new contract was set to kick in), Allen was placed on the IR with a knee issue. To stick around Miami for the 2011 campaign, the defensive back had to rip up his lucrative deal and settle for a new, one-year contract that paid significantly less than the $5.5MM he was set to make. However, the veteran was ultimately released from this new deal prior to the start of the regular season.
Allen ended up catching on with Miami again in mid-September, and he ultimately compiled 43 tackles and three passes defended in 15 games. However, the team technically ended up getting zero production out of their initial $10MM investment.
Dolphins Sign OL Mike Matthews
The Dolphins have added some depth to their offensive line. The Dolphins announced yesterday that they’ve signed center Mike Matthews.
The 6-foot-2, 290-pound lineman will participate in the team’s offseason program, and he could end up sticking around for training camp later this summer. The 24-year-old will be looking to finally earn an opening-day roster spot, as he’s bounced around the NFL since going undrafted out of Texas A&M in 2016. He had a brief stint with the Browns, and he spent the entire 2017 campaign with the Steelers. However, Matthews never saw the field for Pittsburgh, as a torn patellar tendon ended his season early.
The center is looking to follow in the footsteps of his family. His father, Bruce Matthews, is a Hall of Famer, while his brother, Jake Matthews, was a first-round pick by the Falcons in 2014. He’s also the cousin of Pro Bowl linebacker Clay Matthews.
Of course, this Matthews will have a tough time making the Dolphins’ roster. He’ll presumably compete with Jake Brendel to be Daniel Kilgore‘s backup.
Details On Jalen Davis, Mike McCray's Contract
The Dolphins made a number of moves this offseason, and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes that the team was focused on improving the locker-room culture. The front office deliberately pursued team-first players who would “buy in, be diligent about studying and preparation, and do things the way the staff wanted.”
- Jackson notes that Dolphins undrafted rookie cornerback Jalen Davis received a $20K signing bonus on top of his $25K in guaranteed money. The writer wonders if the defensive back could end up sticking around, especially since he earned the most money among the team’s undrafted free agents. Linebacker Mike McCray received $12K in guaranteed money and and a $1oK signing bonus.
Raekwon McMillan Partaking In OTAs
- Raekwon McMillan‘s 2017 injury came at a worse time than Collins’ and was far more severe. But the Dolphins linebacker is back in action. McMillan is participating in Miami’s OTAs, per Shandel Richardson of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The former Ohio State ‘backer and Ryan Tannehill underwent surgeries for ACL tears on the same date last summer and are each progressing accordingly. Both are working with their teammates at OTAs. McMillan was slated to be the Dolphins’ starting middle linebacker prior to his preseason setback.