Three elder statesmen who could help the Miami Dolphins this season
By Nick Belotto
Several free agents remain that could help the Miami Dolphins this year.
With the season quickly approaching, there are still a few big-name free agents on the market. Can any of the older vets still help the Miami Dolphins?
The Miami Dolphins have already had themselves an impressive offseason. From the big splash signings of Byron Jones, Kyle Van Noy, Ereck Flowers and Emmanuel Ogbah to the drafting of future franchise quarterback Tua Tagovalioa, the Dolphins have not been shy about using their cap space and draft capital to infuse what was a weak roster in 2019.
With all of these moves, the Dolphins have built a young roster with incredible potential. But have the Dolphins really built the best roster for 2020? Or are there some other guys out there who could still help this team and come at a cheap price tag because they’re approaching retirement?
While the bulk of the big-name free agents are off the board, now comes an interesting time for this front office. Miami may be able to shop in the bargain bin for some older free agents to help bolster this roster even further. There are a few guys that come to the top of my head when it comes to older free agents who could help this team.
Everson Griffen is a guy who is approaching the back nine of his career, but may still have a little bit left in the tank to help groom some younger pass rushers. At 32 years old, coming off of an 8 sack season, Griffen still has a little bit left in the tank and can help bolster a pass rush that was putrid last season.
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Jason Peters, sitting at the ripe old (football) age of 38, presents an interesting option for this team. Miami spent a lot of capital on offensive linemen in the draft. But, if they felt that one of those guys, like Robert Hunt or Solomon Kindley were a year away from being ready to take on NFL pass-rushing talent, Peters could be a 1-year stopgap. Signing him to more than a 1-year deal may border on insane, but he could provide a stopgap for an up and coming unit and provide quality protection for Ryan Fitzpatrick and, eventually, Tua Tagovailoa.
And finally, there’s Cameron Wake.
Wake’s career with the Dolphins has been well documented and the hope is that his story in Miami will continue. At 38 years old, he is past his prime. He struggled with injuries in 2019 with the Titans and only amassed 2.5 sacks. He is not going to be the threat that he was years ago in Aqua and Orange, but he is a guy who could provide quality depth for this pass rush unit and may come cheaper than an Everson Griffen would. Yes, signing Wake doesn’t fit into the blueprint Miami has been working on recently, but I don’t think there is a Dolphins fan out there who wouldn’t want to see Wake put on that throwback jersey one last time.
The issue with the guys mentioned earlier is the problem that seems to be plaguing all sports nowadays. With Covid-19 still out there, it’s hard to really get a feel for how these older players are keeping in shape (outside of Wake, because, we know he’s in better shape than 80% of the league). These players also are guys that would be signed after some of the summer workouts, when coaches get a feel for what they are lacking on their teams. The fact that these programs have been limited or non-existent really hurts the older free agents and their chances of getting a contract with any team, including Miami.
If Miami were to get a solid look at some of their new players and how they gel with the team, it is very likely to see one of these guys sign a deal with the team to provide depth and experience to a very young and talented Dolphins team.