Moves the Miami Dolphins haven’t made on their roster, good or bad
By Brian Miller
Jerome Baker has been a popular Miami Dolphins social media target this off-season but his salary isn’t team friendly at this point.
Baker’s contract runs until 2026 but there is little chance of him lasting beyond this season unless he excels under Vic Fangio. This year, Baker will be the 4th-highest paid member of the team until Byron Jones’ contract comes off the books in June. He will count $12.5 million in cap space this year.
Releasing Baker would force Miami to eat $17.1 million in dead money while saving only $4 million. Dolphins fans love to rave about Brandon Shore and Chris Grier’s ability to do contracts but we are seeing how that is not always the case.
Next year, Miami can eat $5 million and save $9 million in cap space by cutting or trading Baker. If Miami feels that Baker is part of a longer plan, then restructuring him would make sense but it is hard to imagine that being the case right now.
Next year Baker will carry a $14.8 million cap hit if he remains on the roster.
So what move are we waiting for? There really isn’t a play for Baker here. His contract makes him untradeable and releasing him only means Miami is paying someone else on top of Baker’s dead contract to play defense.
Fans want to think Baker is moveable but his contract says otherwise.