The Miami Dolphins' start to the work week was rather intense, but the job isn't done yet. General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan made bold moves on Monday. Some he had little choice with, and another that is a low-risk, high-reward addition.
Adding Malik Willis was smart, but the Dolphins still need to do more, and they can't do more without more money. That's a lot of "mores." So where should he go next? The team is currently sitting close to the league's cap ceiling. He either starts to clear players or he commits to them.
Jordyn Brooks can provide an outlet for Sullivan, and so can Aaron Brewer. With Wednesday's deadline to be cap-compliant, getting either or preferably both extended makes sense now.
The Miami Dolphins need to look at extending two of Jon-Eric Sullivan's building blocks
Many fans are waiting to find out if De'Von Achane will be traded. During the opening of league tampering day, the speculation about Achane died down. Miami is expected to explore extension options later in the offseason. That shouldn't be the case with the other two.
A simple extension for them could save the Dolphins nearly $10 million combined this season. Miami would need to roll the majority of the extension into 2027 or later. It's the "kick the can down the road" method of operation. In this case, however, it's a smart move for Sullivan. Both should be around by the end of the 2027 season.
Here is the rub, though. According to Over The Cap, Miami can save the same amount of money if they do a simple restructure that would move the guaranteed portions around. In other words, the Dolphins can shift non-guaranteed money to a roster bonus or guarantee portions of it. Typicallly doing so does not need the permission of the player since it is essentially giving them money.
The Dolphins are running out of players to release. With Bradley Chubb looking like a definite post-June 1st cut, the only options are Tyrel Dodson, who adds $2.9 million to the Dolphins' cap, or lower-end players on the 53-man cut that save minimal amounts and will still need to be replaced.
It's possible the Dolphins could release players like JuJu Brents, who would save them nearly $2 million, and then re-sign them on June 2nd when they get more cash flow.
It's clear that the contracts and roster build under Chris Grier have been a problem. Sullivan has the tedious task of unraveling that fishing line. Some moves need to be made for a multitude of reasons, but Brooks and Brewer would be a good place to start.