Matt Haack signs restricted free agent tender with Miami Dolphins
By James Reeve
Unsurprisingly, punter Matt Haack has signed his restricted free agent tender with the Miami Dolphins, keeping him around for the 2020 NFL season.
The Miami Dolphins will have Matt Haack take punting duties for a fourth consecutive season after he signed his restricted free agent tender with the club this week.
The signed tender will see the 25-year-old punter remain with the AFC East outfit for another season, where he will earn $2,133,000 – a significant increase over this previous deal, which paid him $1,699,000 over the past three seasons.
Since entering the NFL, Haack has been a reliable punter and overall contributor on special teams, average 44.7 yards per punt, with a career-high single-season average of 45 in 2019.
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He has eclipsed the 60-yard mark in each of his first three seasons with the Dolphins, with a career-high 65-yard punt coming during the 2018 season.
In his first two seasons, he combined for 190 punts (83 and 87 respectively), for a total of 7579 yards (3695 and 3885 respectively).
Despite playing in all 16 games in 2020, he saw his overall totals drop significantly, down to 69 total punts and 3105 total yards, though this is largely down to the team’s overall play under first-year head coach Brian Flores.
Haack made a highlight-reel play for the Dolphins during the 2020 season, scoring a one-year touchdown pass, caught by fellow special teamer and kicker Jason Sanders, on a trick play that led to Miami securing a 37-31 victory over Philadelphia Eagles.
Since joining the Dolphins as a free agent signing out of Arizona State, Haack has arguably been the most reliable punter the team has had since Brandon Fields, who incidentally wore the same #2 jersey, left after the 2014 season.
His new one-year deal sees Haack carry the 14th highest cap hit for a punter in the NFL, well over $2 million less than the league-leading Johnny Hekker, though easily the highest of all teams in the AFC East.
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Having his reliable legs as well as his ability to contribute on trick plays back for another season is very positive news for the Dolphins, who are working hard on their rebuild and continue to make moves that should set them up for future success.
The punter position is often overlooked by many, but their ability to make up yards and give their teams advantageous field position isn’t something that should be neglected and Haack is one of the more reliable players to do this in the league.