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Miami Dolphins: 5 best value contracts on the roster

By Anthony Cardenas

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 04: Myles Gaskin #37 of the Miami Dolphins runs with the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium on October 04, 2020 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 04: Myles Gaskin #37 of the Miami Dolphins runs with the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium on October 04, 2020 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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Which players on the Miami Dolphins roster are the most affordable? Who gives the team the most bang for their buck?

When it comes to contracts and salary cap issues, the Miami Dolphins had themselves quite a week. Arguably the team’s best player, Xavien Howard, had become unhappy with his contract as of late and requested a trade in the midst of the opening days of training camp.

Luckily for the Dolphins’ defensive hopes, the All-Pro cornerback came to an agreement with the front office, and the situation is taken care of for at least another year. He’ll be on the books for a whopping $12+ million for the upcoming season, a price that the team is willing to pay given his top-tier production over the last two-plus seasons.

But which players on the Dolphins’ roster are wildly underpaid for their on-field performance and/or potential? There are a surprising number of lowly paid starters on the team, which has allowed Miami to spend money in other places. Counting down, here are the five best value contracts on the Dolphins’ payroll:

(Note: these rankings are for the 2021 season only)

Miami Dolphins Andrew Van Ginkel (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
Miami Dolphins Andrew Van Ginkel (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

5. Andrew Van Ginkel

One of the pleasant surprises on the Miami Dolphins’ defense last year was Andrew Van Ginkel.

The then-second year player out of Wisconsin had something of a breakout season in 2020, starting 11 of the 16 games in head coach Brian Flores’ takeaway machine of a defense. Van Ginkel himself contributed to the turnover margin, as he had three forced fumbles, as well as 5.5 sacks and a 78-yard touchdown. He proved to be an excellent fit in Miami’s defensive schemes, and he should once again be listed as one of the starting linebackers for 2021.

Van Ginkel will be the second-lowest paid starter on the team, behind only Myles Gaskin. His late draft position has afforded the Dolphins the opportunity to pay one of their starting outside linebackers just $850k for 2021, and he’ll have another affordable year on the books for next season as well. He will be pushed by rookie Jaelan Phillips and his freakish pass rush ability, but Van Ginkel should provide enough production to remain as one of the valuable contracts.

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