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Dolphins Eyeing Extensions With WR Jaylen Waddle, S Jevon Holland

By | at April 16, 2024 11:55 am

An extension for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa represents a major offseason priority for the Dolphins, but a pair of players drafted one year later are also eligible for new deals. Miami is interested in working out an agreement in both cases.

The Dolphins are expected to pursue an extension with wideout Jaylen Waddle and safety Jevon Holland, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. Both players have been with the team for three years, and as such they can sign second contracts at any time. The former could be retained through 2025 via the fifth-year option, but as a former second-rounder that is not the case for the latter.

To no surprise, Jackson adds Miami will pick up Waddle’s option in the absence of an extension. That would tie him to a fully guaranteed $15.59MM salary in 2025, a figure well short of the value near the top of the receiver market. A long-term Waddle agreement will be pricey, especially given the direction his position is headed in.

The 25-year-old – who was included in Colts trade requests involving a potential Jonathan Taylor swap – has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his three seasons in the league, leading the NFL in yards per reception in 2022 (18.1). That production, which includes 18 touchdowns, puts Waddle slightly ahead of classmate DeVonta Smith early in their respective careers. The latter inked a three-year, $75MM extension (in addition to his fifth-year option) on Monday, placing him in a tie for fourth in the league in terms of annual compensation for receivers.

The fact Smith was able to land such a lucrative pact despite not serving as his team’s clear-cut No. 1 receiver is of course relevant in Waddle’s case. Much like how Smith plays alongside A.J. Brown, Waddle competes for targets with Tyreek Hill in Miami’s passing attack. Hill is on the books for three more years, but he only has guaranteed salary remaining on his $30MM-per-year accord for 2024. Alterations to that contract could be coming down the road, especially if a pricey Waddle commitment ends up being made.

Holland has been a mainstay in Miami’s secondary upon arrival in the NFL, starting 42 of 45 games. The 24-year-old Canadian has recorded five interceptions – including a 99-yard touchdown return this past season – and 21 pass deflections to date. Holland has added 239 tackles and four sacks, and he enjoyed a career-best season in coverage in 2023 with respect to opposing passer rating (99.3).

The Dolphins have one major financial commitment in the secondary at the moment (Jalen Ramsey), and the team has added veterans Kendall Fuller and Jordan Poyer on short-term deals in free agency. Holland is positioned to be a key figure for the present and the long-term future, though, and a multi-year agreement would allow Miami to retain an integral producer at the safety spot for years to come.

One of the storylines of the 2023 offseason has been the downward trend in terms of market value at the position, with a number of high-profile veterans being released ahead of free agency. Holland’s age and production could make him a worthwhile investment and an outlier, especially if he could be extended at a low enough rate. With a lucrative Tagovailoa agreement looming, it will be interesting to see if the Dolphins manage to hammer out an extension with at least one of Waddle or Holland this offseason.

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Dolphins’ Jaelan Phillips Aiming To Return In Week 1?

By | at April 13, 2024 6:57 pm

The Dolphins’ defense was severely shorthanded to close out the 2023 season, and the unit was without edge rusher Jaelan Phillips after Miami’s Black Friday contest. He could be back in the fold by the start of the coming campaign, however.

While appearing at a University of Miami spring game on Saturday, Phillips said, “I’ll definitely be back healthy for the season” (h/t Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). That declaration may not mean he will be available for Week 1 in 2024, but an early return to the field would represent a massive boost to the Dolphins’ edge contingent. Phillips is rehabbing the Achilles tear which brought an end to his third NFL season.

That injury comes with a particularly long recovery timeline, though players in recent years have been succesful in cutting down on the time needed to rehab effectively. Taking the field in Week 1 in Phillips’ case would represent roughly 10 months from the time of his injury, the first of his tenure with the Dolphins. Of course, the former first-rounder’s college career was marred by a number of ailments, so his ability to return to full health will be a key storyline to follow over the coming months.

If Phillips can indeed suit up for the start of the 2024 season, Miami will have an impact starter available along the edge. The 24-year-old racked up 6.5 sacks in eight contests last campaign, putting him on track to eclipse his career high in that regard (8.5). Expectations will be high for him whenever he is able to take the field, especially given the uncertainty the team has at the outside linebacker spot for the time being.

Bradley Chubb is rehabbing an ACL tear suffered in December, and the Dolphins’ only move in free agency along the edge has been the addition of Shaquil Barrett. While Chubb is on track to play at some point in 2024, Barry reports Cameron Goode is “very much in question” to be in the lineup early in the campaign. For that reason, Barry adds Miami should be expected to add one or two rookies during or after the upcoming draft.

The Dolphins own six selections this year, though only two of them fall within the first four rounds. Drafting one of the top edge rush options on the board would thus come as little surprise, although in any event a healthy Phillips would help Miami’s front seven as it transitions under new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.

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Traded NFL Draft Picks For 2024

By | at April 10, 2024 10:21 pm

As the 2024 draft nears, numerous picks have already changed hands. A handful of picks have already been moved twice, with a few being traded three times. Multiple deals from 2021 impact this draft. Here are the 2024 picks to have been traded thus far:

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

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AFC Contract Details: Texans, Sneed, Barrett

By | at April 10, 2024 10:02 pm

Here are some details on recently agreed upon contracts from around the AFC:

  • Myles Bryant, CB/PR (Texans): One year, $1.75MM. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, Bryant’s new deal in Houston includes a guaranteed amount of $800K comprised of $500K of his 2024 base salary (worth a total of $1.2MM) and a $300K signing bonus. Bryant can earn an additional $250K throughout the season with $14,705 per game active roster bonuses.
  • C.J. Henderson, CB (Texans): One year, $2MM. Wilson reports that Henderson’s contract includes a guaranteed amount of $500K consisting of a $300K signing bonus, like Bryant, and $200K of his 2024 base salary (worth a total of $1.4MM). Henderson will also get a per game active roster bonus, but his will be $17,647 per game for a potential season total of $300K.
  • L’Jarius Sneed, CB (Titans): Four years, $76.4MM. We already knew quite a bit about this deal when it was reported, though some of the figures weren’t completely accurate. While the reported number for guaranteed money was initially $55MM, it’s actually going to be $51.5MM. Per Mike Florio of NBC Sports, Sneed was guaranteed $44MM at signing consisting of Sneed’s $20MM signing bonus, his 2024 and 2025 base salaries of $4.32MM and 18.32MM, and per game active roster bonuses that equal up to $680K in each of the first two years. The per game active roster bonuses are listed as “fully guaranteed,” but they still must be earned with Sneed’s consistent presence on the active roster. Labeling a roster bonus as fully guaranteed usually means that it is prorated like a signing bonus. In theory, if Sneed misses any games in those two seasons, he’ll be forced to pay back a portion of those prorated bonuses. The remaining $7.5MM of guaranteed money comes from Sneed’s 2026 base salary of $15.15MM. His 2026 salary has $11MM guaranteed for injury at signing, which is likely where the $55MM figure came from, but effectively, the contract’s guarantees stand at $51.5MM. Additionally, Sneed’s per game active roster bonus potential season-totals increase in 2026 and 2027 to $850K apiece.
  • Shaquil Barrett, OLB (Dolphins): One year, $7MM. We originally reported on Barrett’s one-year deal being worth a maximum of $9MM, which is still true with incentives, but thanks to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, now we have the details. Barrett’s new deal in Miami has an actual base value of $7MM. It includes a guaranteed amount of $6.75MM consisting of a $5.54MM signing bonus and the entirety of Barrett’s 2024 base salary (worth $1.21MM). Barrett can also earn an additional $250K through per game active roster bonuses of $14,705 apiece. Due to tight cap space, though, the Dolphins had to add four void years onto the backend of Barrett’s deal. Whether or not he’s on the roster, he’ll carry a cap hit of $4.43MM in 2025 and $1.11MM in each of the following three seasons.
1 comment Houston Texans Miami Dolphins Tennessee Titans

NFL Staff Updates: Hawks, Dolphins, Slater

By | at April 10, 2024 9:06 pm

The Seahawks have added a new face to their front office, according to team senior reporter John Boyle. Boyle tells us that Joey Laine has been hired as Seattle’s new vice president of football administration.

Laine was hired by the Packers last year to the role of salary cap analyst. Before that, he spent seven years in Chicago serving as the Bears’ chief contract negotiator. He also looked after the team’s salary cap situation and strategic planning while ensuring compliance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement.

Seattle announced the hiring of a new assistant coach, as well. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, the Seahawks are bringing in former Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keeton to serve as an offensive assistant. Keeton most recently spent the 2023 season as an offensive analyst at Marshall. He was hired to be Montana State’s new quarterbacks coach in January but will instead take his first job in the NFL.

Here are a few other coaching and staffing updates from around the league:

  • The Dolphins also brought in a new coaching assistant from the college ranks, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Rob Everett, formerly a senior offensive analyst at the University of Wisconsin, will come in as a new Miami offensive assistant. Before his time with the Badgers, Everett was a defensive coordinator at Division III Bridgewater College.
  • Patriots special teams legend Matthew Slater announced his retirement in February after 16 years in New England. We noted at the time that Slater’s attention would now turn to his post-playing days, and it didn’t take long as Conor Ryan of Boston.com reports that Slater will stick around with the Patriots in a new role. Right now, it’s unclear whether the position is a paid, full-time gig or if Slater is simply volunteering, but the 10-time Pro Bowler was on hand for the team’s first day of their voluntary offseason workout program today. New head coach Jerod Mayo has already made a habit of hiring former Patriots players as coaches, hiring Dont’a Hightower as the team’s linebackers coach and Tiquan Underwood as assistant wide receivers coach. Slater may just be the next to join in the fun.
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OLB Carl Lawson Visits Dolphins

By | at April 10, 2024 8:09 pm

Once considered a big-ticket free agent addition who earned a three-year, $45MM contract to play for the Jets, edge rusher Carl Lawson spent much of his 2023 season being offered up as trade bait. Not finding any takers for the 28-year-old, the team instead allowed him to hit free agency at the end of the year. Now in search of a new home, Lawson reportedly visited the division-rival Dolphins today, according to Howard Balzer of CardsWire.

Despite delivering seven sacks for New York in his bounce back season following a torn Achilles tendon, Lawson saw himself in the doghouse in 2023, often serving as a healthy scratch with five other edge rushers earning snaps over him. Head coach Robert Saleh was adamant in his support for Lawson a year ago, claiming that “as long as (Lawson) can walk and play,” he’d be Jet, though Saleh made sure to clarify that he did not speak for general manager Joe Douglas.

Douglas clearly had other plans, though. After Lawson missed training camp and the first week of the regular season, rumors began that New York was open to trade offers on Lawson and other players like Mecole Hardman and Dalvin Cook. Despite coming back from injury, Lawson was hardly being used in the defense after the Jets made the call to utilize former first-round pick Jermaine Johnson more across from John Franklin-Myers.

At one point, Lawson expressed his displeasure with his role, saying, “I definitely want to play and contribute. I know I can; I’ve proven that…but right now I’m with the Jets, but I definitely want to play more. I definitely want to do what I did last year… I’m a football player, not a cheerleader.”

After not getting traded, Lawson is now a free agent. While injuries have certainly played a role in his NFL career, Lawson isn’t wrong; he has proven that he can contribute. In four of his six NFL seasons, Lawson has delivered five or more sacks, and while he has failed to match the 8.5-sack performance of his rookie season, he had seven in 2022 after a major injury.

In Miami, Lawson would add depth to a room that already holds players with their own extensive injury histories. Bradley Chubb has missed the majority of two seasons in the past, and Jaelan Phillips is working to return from a torn Achilles tendon of his own. Behind them, Shaquil Barrett missed nine games in 2022, and Melvin Ingram is seeing less and less of the field as he progresses into his mid-30s. With all that history on their current roster, it makes sense that the Dolphins are kicking the tires on a younger pass rusher, albeit one with their own injury history.

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Latest On Dolphins’ WR Pursuit

By | at April 6, 2024 9:26 am

The Dolphins continue to search for a third receiver behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but the team isn’t willing to break the bank for the position. A league source that has talked with the Dolphins believes the organization is only willing to spend “a few million” on another wideout, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

[RELATED: Dolphins Submit Offer To OBJ]

The team reportedly made an offer to Odell Beckham Jr., and Jackson says the veteran “remains Miami’s top choice” for the role. Jackson also passes along that the two sides have continued to speak about a potential deal, but the writer believes OBJ isn’t looking for a significant discount on the $15MM he earned from the Ravens in 2023. In that case, the Dolphins’ offer of a “few million” might not be enough.

The organization has also been mentioned as a suitor for free agent Tyler Boyd. However, the long-time Bengals wideout isn’t looking to take a major pay cut on the $10.3MM he earned last season, per Jackson. Hill has pushed for the Dolphins to pursue Michael Thomas, but Jackson says the front office has been “more mindful” of pursuing players with significant injury histories.

The Dolphins will likely continue to be patient until after the draft, and Jackson believes the organization would be comfortable filling that WR3 hole with a rookie. In that scenario, the Dolphins would probably take themselves out of the running for the top remaining free agent WRs.

Cedrick Wilson Jr. served as the team’s third wideout in 2022 and 2023, but he left for the Saints this offseason. Besides Hill, Waddle, and slot receiver Braxton Berrios, the rest of the current WR depth chart lacks experience. That grouping includes River Cracraft, Braylon Sanders, Erik Ezukanma, and Anthony Schwartz.

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Dolphins To Sign DT Teair Tart

By | at April 5, 2024 1:49 pm

Losing two defensive tackles in free agency last month, the Dolphins are in need of some assistance here. While the draft could certainly be an avenue the team chooses to improve post-Christian Wilkins, one reinforcement is en route.

Miami is bringing in D-tackle Teair Tart, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz. Tart spent most of his rookie contract with the Titans, though he went from a player who commanded a second-round RFA tender last year to being waived months later. Tart closed out his rookie deal with the Texans.

Although the Dolphins extended Zach Sieler last year, they were not able to come to terms with Wilkins in 2023. That proved costly, with the team’s cap situation impeding a Wilkins tag. Wilkins’ Raiders AAV ($27.5MM) came in $5MM higher than the DT tag price. The Dolphins also lost starter Raekwon Davis, who joined the Colts. The Dolphins have made some low-cost additions to help out Sieler up front; Tart promises to be another.

Tart, 27, will join former Cowboy Neville Gallimore and ex-Bronco Jonathan Harris as UFA pickups along the Dolphins’ D-line. It would certainly seem more will be done in the draft, but Tart brings 36 starts to the table. Operating as Tennessee’s primary nose tackle on a Jeffery Simmons-led D-line, Tart ranked as a top-25 interior D-lineman (per Pro Football Focus) in 2022.

Tart added a career-high eight tackles for loss (in just 11 games) last season, though PFF saw his play slip overall, ranking the run stopper 85th at the position. Over the past two years, PFF also rated Tart as a better pass rusher than run stopper. The Florida International alum, however, is primarily a run defender; 1.5 sacks represent his single-season best.

The Titans made the decision to cut Tart in mid-December, and off-field matters impacted the AFC South team’s call. Season-long issues are believed to have reached a breaking point late last year, Tart was ruled out of the Titans’ Week 15 game for personal reasons. The Texans then claimed the former fifth-round pick, using him as a backup in two games. Tart joined Derek Barnett as a waiver claim aiding Houston’s D-line down the stretch, though the former was inactive for Houston’s two playoff games. The Bengals and Browns submitted claims for Tart in December, but his market did not produce an immediate signing as a free agent.

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Dolphins To Re-Sign T Kendall Lamm

By | at April 2, 2024 2:27 pm

Needed extensively during the 2023 season, Kendall Lamm will see his run of Dolphins starts lead to another contract with the team. Miami is re-signing the veteran swing tackle, according to ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano.

Lamm is staying with the Dolphins for a third season, doing so on a one-year deal. The former Texans UDFA started eight games for the Dolphins last season, with Terron Armstead‘s run of injuries again requiring regular duty for a backup.

Armstead is staying with the Dolphins for a third season, and while the former Pro Bowler has delivered quality work when healthy, the ex-Saint’s injury baggage has resulted in a number of absences. As various injuries limited Armstead last season, Lamm became a key piece on a battered Miami front. Lamm logged 520 snaps at left tackle last season — nearly as many as Armstead, who totaled 585 — and added 93 in place of Austin Jackson at right tackle.

The 585 snaps marked Lamm’s most on offense since the 2018 season, when he served as the Texans’ primary right tackle. The Dolphins had Lamm on low-end deals in each of the past two seasons. He played for just $1.32MM in 2023. Given Armstead’s injury issues and Lamm’s regular usage last season, a bit of a raise would appear in play. The Dolphins have both their starting tackles signed through 2026, having extended Jackson during the season, but neither are attached to top-10 deals at their respective positions.

Lamm’s Texans work landed him a gig with the Browns, his employer from 2019-20. Lamm then served as a swingman for the 2021 Titans. Despite Taylor Lewan‘s knee trouble and the team’s issues staffing its RT position during the 2020s, Lamm only logged one start with Tennessee. The Dolphins brought him in during Mike McDaniel‘s first season, adding the Appalachian State alum in November 2022. Injuries were a major factor for the ’22 Dolphins’ front as well, with Jackson missing 15 games and Eric Fisher signing with the team but never being healthy enough to suit up. Brandon Shell worked as Miami’s primary RT that season, but the Dolphins used Lamm in that OT3 role last year.

Lamm, 31, has 37 starts on his resume. He will join Jack Driscoll as reserve tackle options for the team. Lamm will also provide some continuity for a Dolphins team that lost four-year starter Robert Hunt in free agency. Two other interior starters — Connor Williams, Isaiah Wynn — are unsigned, leaving Miami with the prospect of three new interior starters. The team will largely run it back at tackle, however.

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Chargers, Dolphins, Lions, 49ers In On WR Tyler Boyd?

By | at April 2, 2024 1:37 pm

Tyler Boyd has been connected to a host of teams this offseason. The veteran remains one of the market’s top wide receivers, but the longtime Bengals slot presence clearly has not seen his market reach an acceptable price point.

Tied to the Chiefs, Jets and his hometown Steelers thus far, Boyd may have some other options. The Chargers, Dolphins, Lions and 49ers each showed some preliminary interest in the eight-year veteran, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly notes (subscription required). A few of these teams still have need at the position.

The Lions had hoped to retain Josh Reynolds, but with the team expecting Jameson Williams to grow into a No. 2 wideout role alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown, a lower-end offer emerged. Reynolds then decided to sign with the Broncos, leaving the Lions with an ancillary need at wide receiver. Considering what Reynolds ended up signing for in Denver (two years, $9MM), his Lions offer does not seem to indicate the team is comfortable spending much on a receiver — especially during an offseason in which St. Brown could sign a top-tier extension.

Odell Beckham Jr. has already negotiated terms with the Dolphins, who have submitted an offer. But the former Giants superstar remains unsigned. The Dolphins are believed to be looking for a WR3 as well, though they probably have Lions-like plans here due to Tyreek Hill‘s market-setting contract. The team could still keep Jaylen Waddle on a low-end salary for 2024 — with his soon-to-be-exercised fifth-year option tying him to Miami through 2025 — while dropping Tua Tagovailoa‘s 2024 cap number ($23.2MM) by a bit via an extension. That would open a salary slot for a one-year WR rental.

The 49ers devoting much in the way of funds to another wide receiver would be highly unlikely, considering Deebo Samuel‘s salary and Brandon Aiyuk‘s fifth-year option residing on their cap sheet. The Chargers, however, would make more sense because of the team’s cost-cutting decisions — cutting Mike Williams (now a Jet) and trading Keenan Allen to the Bears — last month. The Bolts have been connected to a wideout at No. 5 overall, but the team is open for business with that pick as the Jim Harbaugh era begins.

Circling back to the Boyd-Steelers path, a return home for the Pittsburgh alum now may be on the unlikely side. Boyd, 29, showed significant interest in returning home early in free agency; the Steelers were also onboard with a signing. Despite the Steelers having a need after trading Diontae Johnson, Kaboly adds the ship has likely sailed here. Boyd was not pleased with the offer the Steelers made. The team, which has been known to identify quality receiving talent in the draft, set a firm price point here recently.

With Reynolds off the market, Beckham, Boyd, Hunter Renfrow, Michael Thomas and Marquez Valdes-Scantling represent the top players still available at this high-profile position. It appears Boyd will have a chance to land somewhere soon, but it might be at a rate lower than he expected. Boyd played out a four-year, $43MM extension with the Bengals last season.

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