Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier is returning, and he has a lot of work to do with the roster. His first order of business is fixing the Dolphins salary cap before free agency starts in March. The Dolphins are projected to be $2 million over the salary cap, and the cap could go up depending on the revenue for the TV deals this year. It’s not bad that they are $2 million over, but there aren’t a lot of great ways to create a ton of cap space.
One of the reasons is because of the big contracts Grier handed out last year. He gave a huge deal to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and his cap number goes up from $9 million to over $30 million. He also gave new contracts to veterans Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey. Still, both of those contracts weren’t really necessary as both were going to be under contract for another year or two. While it did help the salary cap not look as bad, it made it tougher to get rid of them as both players have expressed interest in leaving, especially Hill. The Dolphins could have left the deal with Hill as is and easily get out of his contract with his lack of production, his off-the-field disruptions, and bailing on the team in the 4th quarter of the final game against the New York Jets.
I realize Hill was hurt with a wrist injury that, if he had surgery on it, would have cost him the season, and I admire him for that, but it’s his posts on social media and refusing to play in the 4th quarter last week that really irritate me. The Dolphins could look to trade him, but it would hurt them big time against the cap. Ramsey hasn’t been quite as vocal, but it sounds like he wants out. I’m not sure why because he played at a high level and maybe it was a down year or something else. Grier shouldn’t have given them a new deal.
Then there is Terron Armstead and Bradley Chubb. Grier gave them both big contracts in 2022. Armstead has played at a high level, but his durability is a huge concern. Plus, the Dolphins restructured his contract last year, and while there is an out in his contract, it wouldn’t be until June 1st that the money would be available as he could be released with a post-June 1st designation.
Armstead could retire regardless, and it could cost the Dolphins if he retires immediately this year. Releasing him with a post on June 1st might be the best option, but he would still carry dead money for next year. There is also an out in Bradley Chubb‘s contract if they use the June 1st designation, but I wouldn’t because he is coming off an injury from over a year ago, and he could come back and contribute next. Plus, it would create another hole. At least with Armstead, the Dolphins have Patrick Paul to take his place.
The Dolphins have some easy releases that can generate a little money, such as Raheem Mostert, Durham Smythe, and others who are coming off down years, are on the wrong side of their careers, or haven’t developed as hope, like Tanner Conner.
That’s the other thing Grier has stuck with players too long, such as Connor and even Skylar Thompson, when they clearly regressed. The other day, he referenced Kion Smith, who was out with injury, as a guy they got calls from. I’m tired of him saying that. He said that about Connor in 2022, Ethan Bonner last year, and now Smith. Connor and Bonner couldn’t even get on the field, so why not either get rid of them or call those teams back to get something in return?
One of the biggest reasons the Dolphins are in the roster crunch is the lack of draft picks in 2022 and 2023. Outside of De’Von Achane, the Dolphins didn’t get any young talent in those draft classes, and with players getting paid and losing players in free agency, this is coming back to haunt the Dolphins.
His lack of vision is another thing. He didn’t get ahead of players whose contracts were running up, like Christian Wilkins, Robert Hunt, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Brandon Jones, so those players walked. He also failed to get a backup quarterback when it was obvious this summer it would be an issue, and it came back to bite him in the ass. He said they were runner-up to a couple of the quarterbacks on the market but were cheap with the cap and compensatory formula. He could have looked at other areas, such as a trade in the summer,r or tried harder to take a flyer in the draft on a quarterback.
The lack of draft picks, as I mentioned earlier, is from him making aggressive moves to acquire Hill, Ramsey, and Chubb. I liked the aggressive approach, and I also realize the Dolphins were stripped of 1st and 3rd round picks because of the tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton. Grier is going to have potentially 10 picks this year, and it is going to be the most critical of his career because he needs to stock up on talented players, and he needs this class to produce since they will be on cheap contracts.
The Dolphins are going to have some lean years against the cap with the big contracts they have handed out, and one of the best ways to supplement the talent is through the draft because players are on cheap, less guaranteed contracts. I’m not sure I trust Grier with this. He may want to consider being drafted down to acquire more picks with his first-round pick because this team has a lot of needs. He said they need to invest in the offensive line. No kidding, because they have a lot of players not under contract and not much talent. Paul, Arron Brewer, and Austin Jackson are probably the only sure things returning.
They also need to upgrade the trenches on the defensive line, specifically by adding someone to play opposite Zach Sieler. If the trenches are rebuilt properly, the team could benefit in other areas, such as running the ball, rushing the passer, or creating more turnovers.
Like I said I don’t trust Grier to get this right, but he got himself in the mess and he has to get himself out of it. He has to look at what we are seeing as fans, but everyone in the Dolphins organization, from Ross down to the head coach, is clueless about this.
