Even With Ramsey Trade, Miami Dolphins are Still “Top Heavy”

The Miami Dolphins‘ problems aren’t because management steadfastly refuses to open its wallet. Quite the opposite, their stagnation in mediocrity probably has more to do with the fact that they’ve spent too recklessly. Even with Monday’s news that they traded cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers, they still have too few players making the bulk of the available money.

And Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald correctly points out that the Dolphins are having a tough time fielding a complete team because they are so “top heavy” in salary.

“The Dolphins are paying four players – Tua Tagovailoa, receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and cornerback Jalen Ramsey (who has been on the trade block for months) – $134 million this season, which accounts for 57 percent of the team’s active cap spending for the season,” Kelly writes. “That’s more evidence that Miami’s payroll has been managed irresponsibly over the years, which is probably a contributing factor to the fiscally responsible approach the franchise took this offseason.”

You don’t need to be a mathematician to notice a problem when 7.5% of your game-day roster is occupying a whopping 57% of your allotted salary cap space. It doesn’t leave a team much room to field the rest of the squad.

“Only 24 players on the Dolphins’ 90-player training camp roster earn more than $2 million a season,” Kelly continues. “But the most troubling part of a payroll examination of the team General Manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel have built is that the team’s extremely top heavy when it comes to its payroll.”

Tua comes with the biggest financial risk

It’s always a risk when signing a player to a big contract, but it’s the way of the world in professional sports. However, when that player has yet to prove that the’s a reliable star and he has injury issues? Then you’re really playing with fire.

Tagovailoa’s injury history is well documented and the real problem – of course – is the concussions. His next concussion will be his fourth at the professional level and that is deeply concerning for his football future (and his post-football future). And the contract he signed in 2024 is massive.

“Tagovailoa is beginning the second-year of the five-year, $235 million deal he signed with Miami last offseason, and this one seemingly has the highest price tag because of his $26 million in base salary and bonuses, and the $25 million in option bonuses that got triggered this offseason,” Kelly writes.

Draft Sharks estimates that he has a 49.1% chance of sustaining an injury that keeps him out for more than two quarters and a 3.9% chance of getting hurt during a game. Take that information as you will since everyone on a football field technically has a 100% chance of injury, but most would admit Tagovailoa is at more risk than others.

With Monday’s trade, Jalen Ramsey’s deal is no longer an issue

The Dolphins have been trying to trade Ramsey for months now and they just completed a deal that ships him off to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Gone are Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick returns.

Does this help solve the problem of being top heavy with salaries? Not necessarily, it means Ramsey’s number comes down, they don’t have to pay Smith and Fitzpatrick and his roughly $18.4 million annual average salary enter the fold. Fitzpatrick will be a free agent following the 2026 season, so they’ll have him for a couple of years and he’s not just a rent-a-player.

The Dolphins certainly got a few headaches off of their plate and created a little more cap wiggle room. But, how much does that matter when general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel need to win now? Like, right now.