Dolphins Considering Colin Kaepernick
Doctors are still looking into the extent of Ryan Tannehill‘s knee injury, but the Dolphins are already weighing some outside options. Colin Kaepernick‘s name was raised within the Dolphins’ front office as potential insurance, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. 
Of course, Kaepernick’s name has probably been internally “raised” by a number of teams this offseason, but that alone doesn’t mean much considering that he has gotten only one workout all offseason long. What Kaepernick does have going for him, however, is that owner Stephen Ross has vocalized his support for him in the past.
“I would sure hope not,” Ross said recently when asked whether Kaepernick is being blackballed from the league. “I know a lot’s been written about it, but you know owners and coaches—they’ll do anything it takes to win. If they think he can help them win, I’m sure—I would hope they would sign him.”
Last year, Kaepernick’s 49ers put up a solid effort against the Dolphins in a late November game in Miami. The QB completed 29 of 46 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns and one interception, but the Dolphins ultimately won by a score of 31-24.
After Tannehill, the Dolphins’ top backups are Matt Moore and David Fales.
Dolphins Fear Worst For Ryan Tannehill
On Thursday morning, Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill left the practice field after a non-contact injury, sparking speculation everywhere that he might have suffered a serious ligament tear. We’re still waiting on an update, but right now the Dolphins are “fearing the worst,” according to Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald (on Twitter).
At minimum, Tannehill is dealing with a hyperextended left knee, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald hears. Beyond that, it’s possible that Tannehill has suffered anything from a PCL sprain (two to eight weeks recovery) to an ACL tear (a season ender).
The Dolphins abstained from making major QB additions this offseason, potentially out of respect for Tannehill. If Tannehill is injured, it seems likely that the team will look for outside help. As of this writing, the next two QBs on the roster are 33-year-old Matt Moore and 26-year-old David Fales.
Colin Kaepernick is the biggest name left on the free agent board and there has been a great deal of focus on former Redskins standout Robert Griffin III as well.
In theory, Tony Romo and Jay Cutler are also available, but they both say that they are likely done playing.
“There is zero doubt in my mind that there is going to be some regret,” Cutler, a new member of FOX’s NFL broadcast team, said earlier this year. “I have no doubt in my mind come the middle of August, September there is going to be that itch to play. There is going to be part of me that I know I can still do it. But that’s not how the cards played out, and that’s not where we are at. I just don’t feel comfortable with a situation in August or September of jumping back into it, even if that situation arises, which I don’t think it’s going to.”
Tannehill also injured his knee in Week 14 of last season, but he was able to avoid surgery for his partially torn ACL and Grade 2 MCL sprain.
Dolphins' Isaiah Ford Suffers Injury
- Dolphins seventh round wide receiver Isaiah Ford has suffered a setback that may end up costing him a spot on the 53-man roster. Ford has meniscus damage that will require surgery, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald writes, and depending on the extent of the tear, he’ll either miss the remainder of training camp or potentially the entire season. Lately, Ford has been gaining traction as a backup possibility in the slot.
Jaguars Can Recoup Branden Albert Bonus
If Branden Albert stays retired, the Jaguars have the right to recoup $3.4MM in signing bonus from the left tackle, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Jacksonville absorbed Albert’s base salaries when it acquired him from the Miami earlier this year, but — as with any trade — Albert’s prorated bonus money stayed with his original club, with the Dolphins taking on $3.4MM in accelerated dead money. Despite that, Albert’s rights, and the rights to any forfeited money, transferred to the Jaguars as part of the swap with the Dolphins, as Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap explains (Twitter link).
In sum, the Jaguars will never actually pay Albert a dime of his 2017-18 base salaries, which would have totaled $18.45MM. Instead, provided Albert stays retired, they’ll pick up $3.4MM in cash (not cap space). Plus, Jacksonville won’t even lose the 2018 seventh-round pick it sent to the Dolphins — because Albert wasn’t on the Jacksonville roster for at least three games, Miami was forced to return the draft choice, reports Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
Contract squabbles between the Jaguars and Albert are nothing new, as the veteran blindside protector held out for a new deal soon after being traded to Jacksonville. General manager Dave Caldwell & Co. refused to rework Albert’s pact (with, hypothetically, could have played a role in his retirement), and Albert eventually reported to camp.
Jaguars OL Branden Albert Retires
Branden Albert is retiring from the NFL. The Jaguars announced that the veteran tackle is walking away from the game. 
Albert, 32, was acquired by the Jaguars in a trade with the Dolphins back in March. Things did not get off on the right foot for Albert and Jacksonville as the veteran immediately pushed for a new contract. When the Jaguars refused to guarantee a portion of the two years left on his deal, Albert skipped voluntary OTAs and had minimal contact with the team.
Although he showed for the mandatory minicamp in June, he has changed course here in late July. It’s not immediately clear whether his contract played a role in his decision.
“After nine seasons playing in the National Football League, I have decided to retire from the game that has given me so much,” said Albert. “I would like to thank Mr. Khan and the Jaguars organization, Mr. Ross, Joe Philbin, Dennis Hickey and the Dolphins organization and Mr. Hunt, Carl Peterson, Herm Edwards and the Chiefs organization for providing me with the opportunity of a lifetime….I wish Coach Marrone and my Jacksonville teammates the best of luck on their journey this season. During my short stint in Jacksonville, I quickly realized that they are working incredibly hard to turn the corner and I truly believe that they will find success in the coming years.”
Without Albert, the Jaguars will likely start second round pick Cam Robinson at left tackle. Tyler Shatley, Patrick Omameh, and free agent addition Earl Watford could be among those competing for the left guard spot that was originally supposed to be covered by Robinson.
The loss of Albert could be devastating for a Jaguars offense that is looking to right the ship and get a quality year out of quarterback Blake Bortles. On the plus side, Jacksonville now has some extra cap room to work with in the event that a quality left tackle pops up on the free agent market in August.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/30/17
Here are today’s minor moves:
- The Panthers have signed safety Damian Parms, per Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter). Parms tried out with the team back in May.
- The Browns signed offensive lineman Kitt O’Brien, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal tweets that Cleveland waived offensive lineman Chris Barker with an injury designation in a corresponding move. O’Brien, 27, spent the 2013-14 campaigns in the Arena Football League after going undrafted out of Ball State. Subsequently, he latched on with the Colts and spent parts of the past two seasons on Indianapolis’ practice squad. O’Brien has yet to appear in an NFL game.
- The Dolphins will sign WR Jordan Westerkamp today, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). In four years at Nebraska, Westerkamp posted 167 catches for 2,474 yards and 18 touchdowns, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets.
- The Jets announced that they’ve signed cornerback David Rivers and waived/injured fellow CB Bryson Keeton. Rivers, a Youngstown State product, went undrafted earlier this year and has already been cut by Green Bay.
Dolphins Likely To Sign Or Trade For DT
The Dolphins are expected to sign or acquire a defensive tackle if the club determines none of its backup internal options are prepared to contribute in 2017, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
At present, the Dolphins boast rookies Davon Godchaux and Vincent Taylor behind starters Ndamukong Suh and Jordan Phillips, but reports earlier this year indicated the team doesn’t believe either 2017 draft choice is ready to play a large role during the upcoming season. Miami’s search for a rotational defensive tackle dates back to before the draft, though, as the club inquired on both Dontari Poe and Johnathan Hankins during the free agent period (both of whom would have been overqualified reserves).
Free agent options for Miami include Roy Miller, Sen’Derrick Marks, Dan Williams, and former Dolphin Paul Soliai, reports Jackson. Miller, notably, worked out for the Dolphins last week, but hasn’t yet agreed to a deal. Speculatively, other interior defenders of note that could interest Miami include Jared Odrick, Arthur Jones, and Vance Walker.
Trade candidates are more speculative, of course, but I recently examined defenders that could be available when assessing how the Saints could replace Nick Fairley, and many of those same players could be on Miami’s radar. Arik Armstead (49ers), Vinny Curry (Eagles), Carl Davis (Ravens), Steve McLendon (Jets), and Sheldon Richardson (Jets) comprise a list of defensive tackles who could conceivably be shopped.
Dolphins Tried To "Lure" Bears Executive Champ Kelly
- The Bears have promoted former Pro Scouting Direction Champ Kelly to Assistant Director of Player Personnel, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter). According to the reporter, the Dolphins tried to “lure away” Kelly this past offseason, but Chicago clearly had bigger plans for the executive. The former United Indoor Football general manager has been with the Bears organization since 2015, and he previously spent time as the Broncos’ Assistant Director of Pro Personnel.
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Detains On Alterraun Verner's Contract
- Alterraun Verner‘s one-year deal with the Dolphins is a minimum salary benefit pact and doesn’t contain any guaranteed money, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. As such, Verner will earn $900K if earns a spot on Miami’s roster, but will only count for $615K against the club’s salary cap. The veteran defensive back is expected to be given “every opportunity” to displace Bobby McCain as the Dolphins’ slot corner, per Jackson, but it’s also possible that Verner will fail to make the squad at all. In 2016, Verner appeared in all 16 games for Tampa Bay but played on only 22.8% of the team’s defensive snaps.
Latest On Dolphins’ Jarvis Landry
The Dolphins have not made contract-year wide receiver Jarvis Landry an extension offer – reportedly because they’re afraid of offending him with a lowball proposal – and there’s no guarantee one is coming, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. With Landry having set a Week 1 deadline for talks, the Dolphins only have about a month and a half to lock him up before their Sept. 10 opener, but owner Stephen Ross said Thursday that doing so isn’t “really mandatory.”
“I think that he’s a great player,” commented Ross. “There’s no question about it. I think he handled himself well. He didn’t hold out. It’s not a question — if we don’t sign him now, we lose him. We can franchise him and go from there. There’s a lot of opportunity for him to stay here. I hope he stays here. He’s a great player.”
Placing the franchise tag on Landry would cost Miami around $15.7MM in 2018, which is an enormous amount in a vacuum. However, it’s a much more tolerable figure when you combine it with his near-minimum salary of $893K this year. Anyone would sign up for two years and $16.5MM for Landry, a force in the slot who holds the record for most catches in his first three NFL seasons (288, to go with 13 touchdowns). And while many players are averse to the tag, Landry’s remarks Thursday indicate he won’t cause a stir if the Dolphins do use it on him.