Latest On Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins
JULY 23: While it will not be known until tomorrow if Tagovailoa takes part in the first practice of training camp, he is in attendance. Tyreek Hill confirmed on Tuesday (via Beasley) that Tagovailoa reported along with the rest of Miami’s veterans. Attention will now turn to the progress of extension talks and whether or not he engages in a hold-in before an agreement is reached.
JULY 22: While the Dolphins are set to hold their first training camp practice on Wednesday, Tua Tagovailoa is still attached to an expiring contract. Following reports from today that Packers QB Jordan Love won’t practice until he inks an extension, we’re hearing similar sentiments out of Miami. Adam H. Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com writes that the expectation should be that Tagovailoa “follows Love’s lead and withholds his services in some capacity.”
[RELATED: Jordan Love Will Not Participate In Packers’ Training Camp Without Deal]
If Love truly did set a 2024 precedent for extension-worthy quarterbacks, then that doesn’t bode well for Tua’s chances of seeing the practice field any time soon. ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted today that the Dolphins and their franchise quarterback are not as far along in discussions as the Packers and Love (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald).
Of course, there’s no immediate urgency to complete an extension. The Dolphins have plenty of offensive continuity, and considering Tagovailoa’s injury and concussion history, the team was probably going to manage his workload either way. The Dolphins have about three weeks until their preseason opener and about seven weeks until the start of the regular season. The former first-round pick could face up to $5MM in fines if he sits out the entire preseason, although Beasley recently noted that those fines could be offset if Tua’s camp is able to squeeze more guaranteed money out of the organization.
Tagovailoa was present during OTAs, but he didn’t participate in any team drills as he pushed for a new contract. If the quarterback refuses to practice during training camp, there’s still a good chance he follows Love’s lead and attends team meetings. Tagovailoa’s camp wanted to avoid a distraction during training camp, and with the Dolphins eyeing a run at the Super Bowl, a complete absence would probably do more harm than good.
We’ll know about Tagovailoa’s status one way or the other by this Wednesday. Veterans are set to report to training camp on Tuesday before taking the practice field on Wednesday. Tua nor Mike McDaniel are expected to speak to reporters tomorrow (per Beasley), but the head coach has his first news conference scheduled for Wednesday morning. We’ll surely get an update at that time.
Dolphins, Emmanuel Ogbah Agree To Deal
With the Dolphins in need of depth along the defensive front, Emmanuel Ogbah will remain in the fold for 2024. The veteran agreed to a new Miami deal on Tuesday, as first reported by NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe. 
Ogbah – who worked out recently, with the Dolphins searching for a Shaquil Barrett replacement – will receive up to $5MM on a one-year deal, Wolfe adds, with Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reporting that $2.75MM of that figure is guaranteed ($2MM in the form of base salary and $750K in the form of a signing bonus). Ogbah can also earn up to $500K in per-game active roster bonuses and can unlock the remainder of the $5MM ceiling via incentives.
The 30-year-old has spent the past four seasons in South Beach, logging 27 starts in 57 games. He was attached to a four-year, $65.4MM deal before being among the veterans let go by Miami in a cost-shedding move earlier this offseason.
Barrett surprised the Dolphins by hanging up his cleats just before the start of training camp. The former Bronco and Buccaneer was set to play an important role along the edge, particularly early in the campaign. The Dolphins have Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb atop the depth chart, but both are questions marks with respect to being available in time for Week 1. Barrett’s retirement led to renewed interest on Miami’s part in pursuing an Ogbah reunion.
The former second-rounder spent three seasons in Cleveland and one in Kansas City before the start of his Dolphins tenure. Ogbah posted back-to-back campaigns with nine sacks in 2020-21, proving his value as a full-time starter. He was limited to nine games through injury in 2023, though, and this past season his production took a step back (5.5 sacks, nine quarterback hits). The Oklahoma State alum should nevertheless be able to carve out a rotational role in a familiar setting over the course of training camp.
Miami also hosted Yannick Ngakoue yesterday as part of the team’s search for edge depth. Given today’s news, it is safe to assume the journeyman sack artist will need to look elsewhere to find his next deal. The Dolphins entered Tuesday with just over $12MM in cap space, so this Ogbah addition could prove to be the most impactful one made for the foreseeable future.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/24
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DB Daryl Worley
- Waived: DB Tre Swilling
Detroit Lions
- Signed: OL Ike Boettger
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from PUP: OT Zach Tom
Houston Texans
- Waived-injured: WR Jared Wayne
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: S Tyree Gillespie
- Waived: S Trey Dean
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/retired list: LB Shaquil Barrett (story)
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on PUP: CB NaJee Thompson
- Placed on NFI: RB DeWayne McBride
New England Patriots
- Waived-injured: LB Jontrey Hunter
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Kevin Austin Jr.
New York Jets
- Signed: DB Nehemiah Shelton
Dolphins To Host DE Yannick Ngakoue
Shaquil Barrett‘s retirement has left the Dolphins in search of help along the edge at the start of training camp. Miami will bring in Emmanuel Ogbah for a visit today, but he is not the only free agent who will receive a look. 
Yannick Ngakoue will also visit the Dolphins today, as confirmed by agent Drew Rosenhaus (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). The 29-year-old remained on the free agent market well into the summer last year, though he still managed to secure a $10.5MM Bears deal. Ngakoue’s value took a hit considering how the 2023 campaign played out.
The former second-rounder was a full-time starter for 13 games in Chicago until a season-ending ankle injury shut him down. Ngakoue was limited to four sacks, making 2023 the first season in his career during which he failed to record at least eight. The journeyman (who is certainly not known for his run defense) hoped to find a new home before training camp, but this will be his first known free agent visit.
The Bears were not active along the edge during free agency, leading some to believe a reunion with Ngakoue could be in the cards. General manager Ryan Poles recently expressed confidence in Chicago’s incumbent defense ends, however, so any additions may need to wait until training camp is well underway. Ngakoue is one of many free agents who could step into at least a depth role if a Miami agreement were to be worked out.
The Dolphins have Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips atop the depth chart, but both are rehabbing the injuries which ended their respective 2023 seasons. Depth early in the season will be critical if one or both are unable to suit up for Week 1. Barrett was on track for a notable workload as a result before he elected to hang up his cleats. Now, Calais Campbell and any addition made in the coming days will join rookies Chop Robinson and Mohammed Kamara as Miami’s edge options for the summer.
Like Ogbah, Ngakoue will no doubt be forced to take a deal worth far less than his previous one when he signs with a new team. The Dolphins have just over $12MM in cap space, so a contract for either one should be feasible.
Dolphins To Host Emmanuel Ogbah
In the wake of Shaquil Barrett‘s surprising retirement announcement, the Dolphins could be reuniting with a familiar face. As the NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reports, Miami will host free agent edge defender Emmanuel Ogbah tomorrow.
Ogbah, 30, was selected by the Browns in the second round of the 2016 draft. He played in Cleveland for three seasons and was traded to the Chiefs during the 2019 offseason. After one injury-shortened year in KC, he signed a two-year, $15MM contract with the Dolphins in March 2020.
His first two years in South Beach were the best of his career, as the Nigerian defender tallied nine sacks and over 20 QB hits in each campaign and parlayed that success into a four-year, $65.4MM deal in March 2022. Unfortunately, a torn triceps sustained midway through the 2022 season altered Ogbah’s career trajectory, as he ultimately suited up for just nine games that year and played in just 25% of the Dolphins’ defensive snaps last season.
The cap-strapped Miami outfit released Ogbah in February, and although he managed to record 5.5 sacks in his limited action in 2023, there were no reports of interest in him before today. Still, with Barrett no longer in the fold and with Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb recovering from major injuries, the ‘Fins certainly need a veteran reinforcement or two, and Ogbah fits the bill.
There are a few other rotational types on the market, including players like Carl Lawson and Markus Golden. The Dolphins have the cap space to add some free agent talent, as they are expected to recover Barrett’s $5.5MM signing bonus and $6.8MM cap hit.
Dolphins OLB Shaquil Barrett Announces Retirement
The Dolphins signed Shaquil Barrett at the beginning of this offseason as one of several recent free agent additions to their defense. Before we get a chance to see just how he would fit into Miami’s defense, though, it appears that the veteran linebacker has informed his new team of his intentions to step away from the game, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. 
A former undrafted free agent out of Colorado State in 2014, Barrett took a bit of a slow start to his NFL career, spending his entire rookie season on the Broncos’ practice squad. The next year, though, Barrett almost immediately made it known that he should’ve been drafted. Leading the team in sacks during the 2015 preseason, Barrett made the 53-man roster for his sophomore campaign.
His first career sack came in Week 3, and he eventually earned his first starts due to an injury to DeMarcus Ware. In six starts over 16 appearances, Barrett totaled 5.5 sacks in his first season on the field. The remainder of his time in Denver saw him vastly undervalued. He would only make nine starts in the next three years (all nine coming in 2017), but in a mostly rotational role, Barrett totaled 14.0 sacks during his time in Denver.
After five years with the Broncos, Barrett signed with the Buccaneers on a one-year, $4MM deal. In a one-year audition, Barrett put on the performance of a lifetime. In Week 2 of his first year in Tampa Bay, Barrett sacked Cam Newton three times. A week later, Barrett upped his own performance with four sacks on the Giants. While that furious pace didn’t continue for a season full of multi-sack games, he did lead the NFL in 2019 with a career-high 19.5 sacks, adding 37 quarterback hits and 19 tackles for loss while earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors. The Buccaneers placed the franchise tag on him in 2020 but eventually rewarded Barrett in 2021 with a four-year, $72MM deal.
Barrett never quite reached the heights of that career year, but over the next two seasons, he continued to be effective and disruptive, totaling 18.0 sacks, 38 quarterback hits, and 20 tackles for loss. He earned his second Pro Bowl bid in 2021 after reaching double-digit sacks for the second time. His 2022 season was marred by a torn Achilles tendon that ended his season after eight games, and last year, he returned to add 4.5 sacks and three forced fumbles to the defense.
Barrett found his way to free agency as a cap casualty after Tampa Bay made it known that they only wanted to bring him back at a reduced rate. He signed with Miami a couple weeks later as the Dolphins searched for some quality depth while Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb recover from their respective Achilles and ACL tears. Phillips and Chubb were recently put on the team’s active/physically unable to perform list, so the Dolphins continue to lack experienced depth at a position group now led by first-round rookie Chop Robinson.
This late into the offseason, the Dolphins still have some options to fill in the outside linebacker spot in veteran free agents Carl Lawson, Tyus Bowser, Markus Golden, and others. Lawson visited the team back in April, while Bowser has experience with new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver from their time in Baltimore. They will have a little financial flexibility to sign a replacement as Adam Beasley of Pro Football Network notes that the team should get back Barrett’s $5.5MM signing bonus and $6.8MM cap impact.
For Barrett, though, his run appears to be over. While it comes as a surprise for many of us, as the 31-year-old was days away from attending training camp with the Dolphins, he claimed on his Instagram that he’s “been thinking about this for a while and the decision has never been more clear then it is now.” He gives the reasoning that, knowing how it feels and what it takes to accomplish your greatest dreams, he now wants to help his family to reach dreams of their own. Best of luck to Barrett and his family in their future endeavors.
RB Kenyan Drake Retires
Kenyan Drake has decided to bring his NFL career to an end. The veteran running back confirmed in a conversation with NFL insider Josina Anderson on Friday that he is retiring. 
“It felt like the right time,” the 30-year-old told Anderson. “I love the game, but I don’t love the business. I’m at peace with the decision. I’m healthy and ready to start the next chapter of my life.”
Drake entered the league as a Dolphins third-rounder, and over half of his regular season appearances (and his lone playoff one) came with Miami. He topped 1,000 scrimmage yards in 2018, and did so again the following year while splitting him time between the Dolphins and Cardinals. Drake’s best season came in 2020, his only full campaign in the desert.
That year, the Alabama alum rushed for 955 yards and 10 touchdowns. That success earned him a two-year, $11MM Raiders deal, but his career consisted of a series of short-term gigs from that point onwards. Drake only spent one campaign in Vegas before bouncing around to several teams in search of an opportunity. He had a pair of Ravens stints with Colts and Browns deals mixed in between August 2022 and November of last year.
Drake’s final NFL contract came from the Packers in December, and he made a single appearance down the stretch. His remarks suggest he attempted to find a new deal this offseason (something which a number of veteran backs managed early in free agency), but instead of seeking out a training camp accord or waiting for an opportunity to open up during the fall, he will turn his attention to his post-playing days.
A veteran of 105 combined regular and postseason contests, Drake racked up 5,521 scrimmage yards and 41 touchdowns across his eight years in the league. He will depart the NFL with nearly $26MM in career earnings.
The NFL’s Eight-Figure Dead Money Hits For 2024
The NFL moved into new territory this offseason, with one Broncos decision creating a staggering gap between the most costly dead money hits and No. 2 on the all-time list. Beyond Denver’s Russell Wilson release, other teams are taking on notable dead cap hits in 2024. Here are the players who will account for more than $10MM in dead money on teams’ payrolls this year.
- Russell Wilson, QB (Broncos): $53MM
- Stefon Diggs, WR (Bills): $31.1MM
- Kirk Cousins, QB (Vikings): $28.5MM
- Haason Reddick, EDGE (Eagles) $21.52MM
- Jamal Adams, S (Seahawks) $20.83MM
- J.C. Jackson, CB (Chargers): $20.83MM
- David Bakhtiari, T (Packers): $18.15MM
- Danielle Hunter, EDGE (Vikings): $14.91MM
- Carlton Davis, CB (Buccaneers) $14.1MM
- Andrus Peat, OL (Saints): $13.64MM
- Kevin Byard, S (Titans): $13.36MM
- Mike Williams, WR (Chargers): $12.46MM
- Aaron Jones, RB (Packers): $12.36MM
- Chandler Jones, EDGE (Raiders): $12.27MM
- Mike Evans, WR (Buccaneers): $12.19MM
- Keenan Allen, WR (Chargers): $11.62MM
- Xavien Howard, CB (Dolphins): $11.41MM
- Michael Thomas, WR (Saints): $11.19MM
- Laken Tomlinson, G (Jets): $10.74MM
- Leonard Williams, DL (Giants): $10.64MM
- Arik Armstead, DL (49ers) $10.31MM
- Quandre Diggs, S (Seahawks): $10.26MM
- Byron Jones, CB (Dolphins): $10.1MM
- Maliek Collins, DT (Texans): $10MM
Months after trading for Wilson, the Broncos gave the decorated quarterback a five-year, $245MM extension. While Wilson offered something of a bounce-back effort from a shockingly mediocre 2022, Sean Payton‘s team still opted to designate him as a post-June 1 cut. Wilson’s $37MM injury guarantee, which the Broncos attempted to move in an effort that led to NFLPA involvement but no grievance, would have resulted in comparable dead money in 2025 had he remained on Denver’s roster on Day 5 of the 2024 league year and then been released next year.
The Broncos will receive a small cap credit — due to Wilson’s veteran minimum Steelers deal — in 2025, but the team will take on more than $83MM in total dead money from the release. This shatters the NFL record for dead money, which the Falcons previously held by trading Matt Ryan ($40.5MM), and the contract will remain on Denver’s books through the 2025 season. The Broncos opted to take on more dead money this year than next, separating this post-June 1 cut from most teams’ strategies.
The Bills’ decision to trade Diggs less than two years after giving him a four-year extension broke the non-QB dead money record. Unlike the Wilson matter, Buffalo will take on the Pro Bowl wide receiver’s full dead cap hit this year. Ditto Green Bay, which passed on a Bakhtiari post-June 1 designation. The Chargers will also be rid of the Allen and Williams responsibilities after 2024. The Seahawks also passed on post-June 1 designations with Adams and Diggs.
New Orleans has Thomas set to count more than $9MM in dead money in 2025 as well due to using the June 1 strategy. The Dolphins are still paying out the Jones contract from a 2023 post-June 1 designation, while Howard’s post-June 1 status will create a $15.7MM dead money penalty in 2025.
Void years created the Vikings’ Cousins cap hit. After attempting to negotiate a fourth contract with the veteran quarterback last year, the parties failing to come to terms resulted in void years being added in a restructure. The Falcons came in much higher than the Vikings were willing to go, guarantee-wise, leading Minnesota to a new QB path and significant Cousins dead money.
The Eagles also included three void years on Reddick’s contract, and the Buccaneers will eat some Evans dead money — despite re-signing the 11th-year wide receiver just before free agency — due to a void year-driven trigger before the latest contract was signed.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/18/24
Today’s minor moves:
Houston Texans
- Reverted to IR: WR Jaxon Janke
- Reverted to NFI: OL LaDarius Henderson
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on PUP: LB Bradley Chubb, LB Cameron Goode, LB Jaelan Phillips, OL Isaiah Wynn
- Placed on NFI: RB Salvon Ahmed
New York Jets
- Placed on PUP: RB Nick Bawden, DL Leonard Taylor, WR Mike Williams
- Placed on NFI: WR Tyler Harrell, QB Jordan Travis
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on PUP: LB Jerome Baker, CB Lance Boykin, LB Tyrel Dodson, RT Abe Lucas, S Jerrick Reed II, LB Drake Thomas, NT Cameron Young
- Placed on NFI: G Anthony Bradford, LB Easton Gibbs, CB D.J. James, CB Nehemiah Pritchett, WR Dee Williams
As a reminder, players who land on the physically unable to perform list or the non-football injury list can be activated at any time during training camp or the preseason. If players remain on either of those two lists following initial 53-man rosters, they’ll be forced to sit out the first four games of the 2024 season.
While the majority of the Dolphins’ injuries were expected, Isaiah Wynn‘s placement on PUP is a bit of a surprise. The offensive lineman continues to recover from a quadriceps injury that ended his 2023 campaign in October, but his rehab is apparently taking longer than expected. After mostly playing offensive tackle to begin his career, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says the former first-round pick is expected to be the “front-runner” at left guard once he’s healthy enough to see the field. Jackson also passed along that Salvon Ahmed‘s issue isn’t related to his season-ending foot injury from last season and is a result of a “minor medical issue.” The RB is firmly on the roster bubble heading into training camp.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/16/24
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on active/NFI list: S Mark Perry
- Placed on active/PUP list: WR Tahj Washington
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on active/NFI list: WR Bub Means
New York Giants
- Placed on active/PUP list: TE Theo Johnson
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on active/NFI list: WR Ricky Pearsall
The active versions of these injury lists only impact players’ availability for practices before the regular season. Players can be moved off the active/PUP or active/NFI lists at any point over the next month-plus. Should a player be left on a PUP or NFI list when a team finalizes a 53-man roster — as the Ravens are expected to with running back Keaton Mitchell — he must miss at least four games.
Pearsall’s undisclosed injury is not viewed as a malady that should keep the first-rounder out long term, per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows. The Florida alum is expected to join Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, the latter’s trade request notwithstanding, this season and profiles as a long-term replacement for one of the two players — depending on how San Francisco handles its receiver contract glut — come 2025. Pearsall participated in the 49ers’ offseason program; it would be a surprise if he became a candidate for the reserve/PUP list.