Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross once told me he can’t coach, can’t evaluate talent, doesn’t create game plans or schemes, but there’s one expertise he’s developed as a real estate mogul that benefits his NFL franchise.
Ross is a professional check writer, and he views free agency as his time to shine, his opportunity to bring his strength to the table by “getting in the game.”
That’s why most in the NFL expect the Dolphins to be moves and shakers in free agency — like usual — with the team’s $48 million in cap space. And it’s not just about writing big checks to land free agents, or re-signing their own.
Don’t be surprised if Miami makes a handful of trades to lure veteran starters who other teams might be interested in moving on from to create cap space.
It’s difficult to predict what the Dolphins will do when teams start making offers on Monday at 11 a.m., preparing for Wednesday’s start of the new league year, which is when deals can become official, but this is the approach I’d take in building the 2022 Dolphins roster.
1. Re-signing Emmanuel Ogbah should be Miami’s top priority, but if he receives a deal that guarantees him more than $50 million it’s perfectly fine to move on. But the Dolphins better have a good second-tier target, a young talent like Ogbah was when he signed a two-year, $15 million deal, in mind. Solomon Thomas has history with new coach Mike McDaniel from their time together in San Francisco, and the third pick in the 2017 draft still hasn’t lived up to his talent. Maybe the Dolphins’ hybrid scheme can provide this 27-year-old the right setting.
2. Miami needs to take their shot at Terron Armstead, offering him a contract that would make him one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in the NFL, offering him a five-year, $80 million deal that guarantees him $40 million. He could be Trent Williams for this offense, bookending this team’s left tackle spot. If he decides to go elsewhere, or re-signs with New Orleans I’d be comfortable landing Trent Brown or Morgan Moses for a three-year, $7-9 million-a-year deal. Brown is the better player, but he comes with injury risk and weight concerns. Moses is the type of professional this young offensive line needs to learn under. All three linemen would make Miami’s young line better instantly.
3. Address the center spot by adding a more established veteran to compete with Michael Deiter, but don’t break the bank. I’d target Boston College’s Zion Johnson with one of Miami’s picks in the first two rounds. Johnson was coached by new offensive line coach Matt Applebaum in college. He possesses the physicality to play in Miami’s zone scheme, and the intellect to develop into a center. Miami needs a plan because Deiter is entering the final year of his rookie deal hasn’t proven he’s an NFL starter yet. Who knows what Deiter can be in this scheme, but he needs competition.
4. Re-signing Phillip Lindsay is a priority because there was a time not too long ago where he was one of the NFL’s best outside-zone runners. I wouldn’t mind rolling the dice by signing him to a one-year deal worth $2 million, with $1 million guaranteed. If Lindsay passes, I’d offer the same deal to Marlon Mack, who is working his way back from a torn Achilles in 2021, and Duke Johnson, who carried Miami’s rushing attack late last season. The more the merrier at running back. I’d also make it a priority to draft someone like FIU’s D’Vonte Price or Missouri’s Tyler Badie early in day three.
5. Sign Kwon Alexander to serve as Miami’s new every-down inside linebacker paired with Jerome Baker. Four seasons ago Alexander was viewed as one of the most instinctive linebackers in the NFL, but injuries and bad fits have tarnished his reputation. Miami could provide this 27-year-old a chance to get back to being a force. I’d also attempt to re-sign Elandon Roberts to a one-year, $3 million deal that guarantees him $1 million, giving the Dolphins’ team captain a chance to compete for the starting spot. The Dolphins need to be aggressive signing four undrafted linebackers, promising the best of what’s leftover a chance to make it onto the 53-man roster.
6. Re-sign Mack Hollins and add receiver and return specialist Isaiah McKenzie would be my plan to improve special teams. Hollins was Miami’s best special teams performer, and one of the team’s top red-zone threats last season. He still has upside and an offensive weapon, and McKenzie, a South Florida native, could blossom into a dangerous slot receiver in this offense. We’ve seen him be a force as a slot receiver in Buffalo when given opportunity.
7. I’m not spending big on receiver this offseason because my goal would be to draft a young receiver with upside early in the 2022 draft. I’m talking about a playmaker like Ohio State’s Chris Olave, whom Miami would likely need to use the No. 29 pick to select if he isn’t picked earlier. But talents like Tennessee’s Velus Jones Jr., Baylor’s Tyquan Thornton, Miami’s Charleston Rambo and Air Force’s Brandon Lewis could blossom into NFL starters in time. I’m keeping DeVante Parker around at his manageable contract to buy these young receivers time.
8. I’m restructuring Xavien Howard’s deal, making him one the three highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL, closing the deal by guaranteeing the three-time Pro Bowler $50 million, and making it team-friendly by providing a $16-20 million signing bonus. Howard is an elite player and the Dolphins need to continue building a team around his talent. McDaniel would benefit by having him fully buy into the program. Want to show Howard respect, pay him.
9. Rolling with Howard, Byron Jones and Nik Needham for one more season is my game plan for 2022. That would be my plan unless another team offers me something desirable (second-rounder, or a proven NFL starter with a team-friend contract) for Jones. Noah Igbinoghene gets one more season to prove he isn’t a first-round bust, and the hope is new coaching from Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain will help him become a more fundamentally sound player.
10. It’s great to be fully invested in Tua Tagovailoa, but Miami needs a backup plan. The same year McDaniel’s Washington staff traded up to select Robert Griffin III in the 2012 draft they also drafted Kirk Cousins in the fourth round. History will recall that Cousins turned out to be the better quarterback. Miami’s weak-minded mentality that quarterbacks shouldn’t have competition has always bothered me, and I feel it’s why this franchise has messed up at that position for two decades. McDaniel said he’d prefer to add a veteran quarterback who can help Tagovailoa with the week’s prep work, but I’m a proponent of head coaches drafting their own quarterback, so I hope McDaniel finds one in this draft — let me recommend Southeast Louisiana’s Cole Kelley or Miami’s D’Eriq King — he’d like to develop and selects him in the later rounds. As for veterans, I’d sign Nick Mullens, who was with McDaniel in San Francisco for a few seasons, or Joshua Dobbs, whom I’ve always admired despite his NFL career never taking off.
