8 times Dolphins GM Chris Grier has royally screwed up contract negotiations
By Brian Miller
7. Jaylen Waddle
Jaylen Waddle is an example of waiting a tad too long. Yes, Grier got him under contract, but his waiting likely cost the team a few million in change. Waddle should have been signed and extended before De'Vonta Smith in Philadelphia. As soon as Smith did sign his contract, Waddle should have been inked. Grier waited and the price came in a bit higher after the Amon-Ra St. Brown extension. In other words, the market was reset.
6. Byron Jones
Talk about misreading the market. Byron Jones was signed to a huge contract and he became the highest-paid player on the roster. Grier can't be faulted for giving out a massive deal to a player considered to be one of the better ones at his position, but the problem for Grier was he had one of the top five CBs already on his roster and never gave it a thought that he would be paying someone more.
Jones arrived in Miami, and that ticked off Xavien Howard, who felt disrespected by the contract. Howard would stage a hold-in with an injury to get more money. Grier would acquiesce and give Howard more guaranteed money to make him happy. In the end, Jones was a mistake and was gone two years later, and Howard followed a year after that. Both players were released with June 1 designations so Grier could create salary relief. Neither contract was good.
5. DeVante Parker
In December of 2019, the Dolphins gave DeVante Parker a three-year extension. At the time, Parker was in the middle of his best season. He would finish the year with 1,202 yards, nine touchdowns, and 72 receptions. He also appeared in more games that season than any other previously, 14. The problem is that he wouldn't appear in that many games again.
In 2020 he would play in only 14 games and then 10. Not quite two years after signing his contract, Parker was traded to the Patriots. This is something that could repeat itself in 2024. Grier gave Austin Jackson a contract extension during last season despite previously not being able to stay healthy.