Zach Sieler continues to be the face of the Miami Dolphins defense, but wherever Chris Grier is, he isn't getting the right message.
Sieler sat out the voluntary OTAs (he has attended mandatory minicamp) in the hopes of getting a better contract. Yes, he signed a new deal in 2023, but his situation is a bit different from, say, Jonnu Smith's.
Sieler will count for $12 million on the Dolphins' salary cap this season, but his guaranteed money is only $2.3 million. In 2026, his guarantees are zero, and the contract voids in 2027. So far, Sieler has not only outperformed his contract but also become the de facto leader of a unit that is void of leadership.
Sieler's "hold-out" is to get more protection for his future, but unlike Smith, who also wants that protection, the talented defensive tackle has been doing it for the Dolphins for longer.
It's time for Dolphins GM Chris Grier to reward Zach Sieler
In 2024, Grier gave more money to Jalen Ramsey, who now wants out of Miami. He gave money to Tyreek Hill, who quit on his team. Sieler has not only been a model football player, but he has also had double-digit sacks in each of the last two seasons.
If anyone deserves a new contract or an extension, or even a generous amount of new money, it's Sieler. The Dolphins are not going to play out his contract, and if he starts to slide with his production, they will be the first to get rid of him, unlike the problems that have arisen with others.
There may not be a better player more deserving of a new contract than Sieler on either side of the ball. Grier's salary cap mistakes have left him sitting on egotistical players who can't hold a candle to the work ethic and leadership of Sieler. That has to change. Sieler is the culture change the Dolphins need — a player who will play above his salary and give the Dolphins everything he has on the field.