Miami Dolphins 2024 salary cap: These players won’t be here
By Brian Miller
![Miami Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones (24) defends a third down pass intended for New York Jets wide receiver Breshad Perriman (19) at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, October 18, 2020. [ALLEN EYESTONE/The Palm Beach Post]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2Fhttps-3A-2F-2Fphinphanatic-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fimagn-images-2F2017-2F07-2F15089290-850x560-c151559be57a78ffd4674a3411333c16beba0b1234c8f4d7413ec4e59dd792ca.jpg "Miami Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones (24) defends a third down pass intended for New York Jets wide receiver Breshad Perriman (19) at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, October 18, 2020. [ALLEN EYESTONE/The Palm Beach Post]")
The Miami Dolphins will shuffle their roster and thus the salary cap this year and next year. Right now, only Jason Sanders is signed beyond 2024.
Sanders signed a big contract extension earlier this year and is now on the roster through the 2026 season. If he is still on the roster in 2025 and ’26 it will be a testament to his accuracy and consistency. Sanders will count $3.3, $3.1, and $3.7 million over the next three seasons then his contract turns upwards to $4.1, $4.4, and $4.2 million over the final three years.
I expect Sanders to stick around that long but I’m not so sure about those players under contract for the 2024 season. Seven players, not including Sanders, are under contracts for the 2024 season as of today. That will change of course over this year and next.
Byron Jones: The Dolphins can’t cut or trade Jones this year without taking on $28.4 million in dead money but they don’t want to anyway. Jones was underrated last year and while he was shadowed by the 10 interceptions by Xavien Howard, Jones was still a solid corner.
By the time 2024 rolls around, the Dolphins can move on from the contract if they didn’t in 2023. Miami would save $12 million in 2023 and eat $4.2 million but that number increases to $14 million saved and only $2.1 million in 2024.
We can expect the Dolphins to have drafted and developed his replacement by then.
Xavien Howard: We don’t even know if Howard will be around the Dolphins by the time this season opens but in 2024, Howard’s current contract comes to an end. Let that sink in for a second. Howard’s current contract that he signed in 2019 still has four years left on it and he wants a new one. I digress, Miami will save all $12.2 million of Howard’s contract in 2024 if he makes it that far. In 2023, Miami would recover $12 million against a $1.4 million dead cap hit.
A lot of fans point to a restructure, not this year but next and the reason is that Howard’s guaranteed money is pretty much gone. Miami would save $11.5 million and eat only $2.8 million if they cut him or traded him next season.
Gerrid Doaks: Doaks has yet to play a down for the Dolphins but his 4-year rookie deal takes him to 2024 and that is a lot of value for the Dolphins. He is the only running back under contract that long but until he shows he can play, there is no guarantee that he makes it to the 53 man roster this year. If he does show that he belongs, Miami will have a very favorable contract for a guy that could eventually start in another two years.
Larnel Coleman: Another rookie with a 4-year contract who has yet to play a down. Like Doaks, until we see him play and earn a roster spot, the length of his deal doesn’t matter.
Jerome Baker: Baker signed an extension last month and it runs through the 2024 season. Baker needs to be playing at a high level by that time to keep his contract. He will count $14 million against the cap and all but $3.1 million can be saved.
The other two players, Jaylen Waddle and Jaelan Phillips along with Liam Eichenberg, Hunter Long, and Jevon Holland will all be on their rookie contracts as well.