Miami Dolphins depth a present and future problem
By Brian Miller
Defensive line
Ndamukong Suh is eating the most cap space of any player and he is signed through 2020. His cap numbers are enormous. $19 million in 2016, ’17, ’18, and in 2019 it balloons to over $20 million. Not until 2020 when his cap number grows to $22 million will the Dolphins get relief. They can release him and take a mere $10 million cap hit.
So Ndamukong Suh is staying for a while which is good news because the Dolphins still haven’t found someone to line up next to him. Jordan Phillips has so far been a bust and Earl Mitchell has two seasons left on his deal but in 2017 the Dolphins can save $4 million by releasing him and lose only $5k of dead space.
Behind those three it is bare which means that either through the draft or free agency, the Dolphins will need to find depth and possibly someone new to compliment Suh.
Defensive ends
Cameron Wake has maybe two seasons left, three if he can stay healthy as a pass rush specialist but that is really being optimistic. Mario Williams is staring at a one year stint but his contract could be for two if he plays like the Williams of old and not like he did last year in Buffalo.
The Dolphins have some promising depth at DE and that is a saving grace but are any of them ready to be full-time starters on the edge? Not yet but that is the job of the coaching staff so there is not only room to develop but youth as well.
Next: linebackers