5 NFL free agents that will be too expensive for the Miami Dolphins
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins more than likely are not going to be moving full ahead when free agency rolls around but that won’t stop them from looking.
From cap space and funny money contracts that create more room, the Miami Dolphins 2023 off-season will be a mix of rumor, speculation, and possibly a big fat letdown.
Fans won’t stop speculating or hoping that the Dolphins go out and make another big splash like they did last year but there is not Tyreek Hill or Terron Armstead on the market that Miami can afford realistically. That won’t stop the media or the fans from calling out names and being disappointed when they sign contracts elsewhere.
So who are some of these guys that we should expect to hear connected with Miami but in reality, not likely? Here are five of them.
We can start with Jordan Poyer. The impending free agent to be could very well leave the Buffalo Bills this off-season and an exchange between him and Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland has fans thinking the two could look great in Miami’s secondary.
Poyer has also switched agents and is now represented by Drew Rosenhaus who has been one of the top agents bringing players to the Dolphins over the years…he also reps Holland as well.
Naturally, the two would be an explosive duo in the secondary but Poyer is going to want more money than the Dolphins realistically can afford and Miami will have Brandon Jones back next season after missing this year injured. Poyer would be fun but it doesn’t add up.
Is there anyone who will draw more interest from the minds of Miami Dolphins fans than Saquon Barkley?
Barkley fits a big need for the Dolphins. He is an explosive running back who is one of the elite pass-catching runners in the league. Barkley does, however, come with an injury history. Honestly, that should be right up Chris Grier’s alley as the tends to not care about players with injury issues.
When healthy, there is no denying how good Barkley can be but will the Dolphins want to throw a lot of money at the free agent to be with those types of concerns? Grier may want to sit this one out.
The Dolphins spent big on Armstead last year and he missed critical games down the stretch. He will miss more games next season because he simply can’t play a full year without being banged up enough to miss a few games. With this money invested in Armstead, as well as the money invested in Tyreek Hill, Miami really can’t afford to throw more at a player who could miss time if he gets injured. Yes, it’s a situation where any player could get hurt but when history repeats, you should shy away, at least a little.
Sticking with the position, Josh Jacobs is an enticing running back that is likely to hit the market.
He has all the tools that you look for in a running back. He literally checks the boxes. He is great with the Raiders and you could argue he would have a bigger role with the Dolphins but again, money is a factor and the Dolphins have to be able to spread what they have around.
The Dolphins have around 23 impending free agents this year which is almost half the team. They can’t let all of them walk and will need money to retain a lot of them. That makes free spending on a guy like Jacobs, a luxury that they can’t really afford.
Whatever the Miami Dolphins opt to do now with their defense in free agency will depend on what Vic Fangio wants to do with the roster.
Lavonte David is an incredibly talented linebacker and he is going to find plenty of suitors in the market when it opens in March. In fact, Davis could agree to a deal during the three-day tampering period. The chances of him joining the Dolphins? That would be pretty slim.
Miami doesn’t seem to spend on linebacker help and after having drafted Channing Tindall last year, it seems they are comfortable letting Fangio coach up the soon-to-be second-year player.
Last year the Dolphins showed what they think of linebackers when they passed on Roquon Smith in favor of outside linebacker and pass rusher Bradley Chubb.
Tremain Edwards would be a very solid addition to the Dolphins roster if the Buffalo Bills let him hit free agency. That is something that might not happen at all.
Regardless, getting Edwards would strengthen the Dolphins defense and weaken the Bills but again, where will Chris Grier allocate his spending cash? This could be the type of player that Fangio wants. A linebacker capable of stopping the run and dropping into coverage. He fits that scheme.
Miami would be smarter to look for some young linebackers who are missing a solid coach and trying to develop them under Fangio. Linebacker is a need but Miami can’t afford a big name and still retain some of their impending free agents.