2019 off-season could bring changes for Miami Dolphins
By Brian Miller
There are two big problems facing the Miami Dolphins this upcoming off-season and they control both of them. How they fix those problems is up to them.
At some point in 2019 the Miami Dolphins need to find a quarterback of the future and they need to create a workable cap situation. Neither is easy but it could be a key factor in Adam Gase’s future beyond 2019.
Looking at the quarterback position there are possibilities but everything starts with what the team decides to do with Ryan Tannehill. First his contract balloons to around $26 million of cap space but releasing him won’t save but half of that and that would not come until June 1st.
The bigger issue is that Ryan Tannehill, who will likely be back next season, does not have a capable back-up behind him. This leaves the Dolphins in a bad situation as evidenced in 2017 with Jay Cutler and Matt Moore and this year with Brock Osweiler. Miami has to find a quarterback for 2019.
Ideally the Dolphins will draft one early. This would signal a change for the future but finding a quarterback in the draft isn’t always that easy. Miami may not be in a good position to draft one in round one and the talent is nowhere near as deep as it was last year.
Free agency could be a possibility as well but money spent on a free agent QB will land in the $15 to $20 million per season range for a quarterback who can compete for the starting job. If the Dolphins go cheap and look for a back-up they may as well just stick with the combination of David Fales, Luke Falk, and Brock Osweiler.
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The salary cap is another area that needs addressed. The Dolphins could have as much as $70 million to spend but that would require wholesale changes to both sides of the ball leaving the team gutted.
There are players that likely will not be back and should not be back. On offense, DeVante Parker is the biggest name and his $9 million 5th year option should be taken off the table. Parker’s story is well documented so there is no need to rehash it again.
The Defense could see the most change. Robert Quinn has been a huge disappointment for the Dolphins. Releasing Quinn would save $12.9 million of cap space with no dead money. This should be an easy choice unless Quinn is willing to take a pay cut.
Andre Branch is another defensive end that simply isn’t getting the job done. Branch is not setting the edge and getting no pressure on the quarterback. His 2019 salary will cost the team $9 million in cap space but if released only $2 million of that will be dead money.
Miami would probably love to get rid of T.J. McDonald who has been inconsistent. The contract Miami gave him last year before he played a single snap was not smart. McDonald’s contract in 2019 is not good. Releasing him would cost the team $6.4 million in dead space and only $6 million to keep him. But is he worth keeping despite the dead money issue?
In 2019 Miami has 12 players that will cost over $6 million in cap space starting with Danny Amendola at $6 even and ending with Ryan Tannehill at $26 million. Only three players out of those 12 would carry no dead money if released. Danny Amendola, DeVante Parker, and Robert Quinn. It is very unlikely that Miami lets Amendola go.
Bad contracts have not been the Dolphins problem, bad contracts to underperforming players has been the problem. Miami is not getting value out of their high-priced veterans. That includes Reshad Jones who will count $17 million on the cap next year and $23 million in dead money if he were released.
At some point Miami has to make better decisions with how they spend their money as it is crippling the team. For what it is worth, of those top 12 salaried players, nine of them have missed time this year due to injury. That however is a completely different story.