Out of nowhere, Shaquil Barrett decided to call it a career after nine seasons in the NFL. Now, the Miami Dolphins, only days away from the start of training camp, will have to find more help on the edge.
The timing of Barrett's decision couldn't be worse. Rookies have reported to training camp, and veterans are about to do the same. The Dolphins will be without Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb and opted not to re-sign Andrew Van Ginkel. As of right now, the best option is rookie Chop Robinson and maybe fellow rookie Mohamed Kamara.
This is not a light blow to the Dolphins defense, as Barrett is a two-time Pro Bowler and he was going to provide veteran leadership. Now, though, Chris Grier needs to get on the horn and try to find a suitable replacement. Here are some guys he should reach out to first:
Emmanuel Ogbah
Emmanuel Ogbah is familiar to the Dolphins, having spent the last four years in Miami. Ogbah would be a cheap option, but he isn't a good one. He struggled last season and when the Dolphins needed him after losing Chubb and Phillips, Ogbah wasn't the guy they turned to.
In 2023, he started one game and appeared in 15. He registered 20 combined tackles and one interception, but he did register 5.5 sacks. He'd be an affordable option, though, which is why it could make sense for the Dolphins to bring him back.
Yannick Ngakoue
There was a time when Yannick Ngakoue was one of the best defensive ends in the league. That changed over the last few years and if Miami is looking for a cheap addition, he could be a big name for little money. He played 2023 with the Bears after one-year stints with the Raiders and Colts, but he also played nine games for the Ravens in 2020.
That is something to keep an eye on. Anthony Weaver was in Houston during the 2020 season, but he still would have seen plenty of film on the player when he joined the Ravens in 2021. Ngakoue has one Pro Bowl in his career way back in 2017, his sophomore year with Jacksonville.
Much like Ogbah, his career took a detour the last few years. He posted 29 and 22 combined tackles the last two seasons and a total of 13.5 sacks. He may not be a great addition or option, but he could be enough of a situational pass-rusher who could help until Chubb and Phillips return and Robinson gets his feet wet.
Tyus Bowser
Tyus Bowser did not play last season, but spent his entire career with the Ravens starting in 2017. He is well known by Weaver and could be an option if he too hasn't decided to call it a career. Bowser was placed on the Non-Football Injury-Related list in July of 2023 and he was not activated last season. The Ravens released him in March ahead of free agency.
It is unclear what his current medical status is, but it might be a good idea to reach out considering he knows the system. That being said, in 2022, he only started four games of the nine he appeared in and registered two sacks and 13 tackles.
Jonathan Ledbetter
In 2019, Jonathan Ledbetter was with the Dolphins and started one game. He only appeared in one game and managed 0.5 sacks and four tackles. He played in Arizona the last three seasons and started all 12 of his games for the Cardinals last year. He posted 1.5 sacks and 46 tackles. He may not be completely ideal, but he has experience and won't be expensive.
Carl Lawson
Carl Lawson is someone Miami might want to give a call to. He looked good coming off three seasons with the Bengals as a free agent. He joined the Jets, where he suffered an Achilles injury and missed all of 2021. He wasn't the same in 2022, and after taking a backseat to Jermaine Johnson last year, he is now a free agent.
Miami would make sense for the former Jets outside linebacker and could be a nice fill-in. If he struggles to regain his consistency, he shouldn't cost much, and the Dolphins would have all of training camp to work him out.
Shaq Lawson
Shaq Lawson played one season for the Dolphins in 2020. He left Miami and joined the Jets for a year before spending the last two years with the Bills, where his career started in 2016. Shaq Lawson saw little playing time last season and started only one game.
He isn't a full-season option, but he can provide depth to the roster and contribute to the start of the year. Will the Dolphins reach out to Lawson or anyone else featured on our list? We sure hope so, as this Barrett news has come in from out of nowhere.