The biggest moves the Miami Dolphins will have to make in 2024 whether they want to or not
By Brian Miller
When the curtain falls on the 2024 season, it is becoming more and more unlikely that Emmanuel Ogbah makes it through to another season no matter what he does in 2023.
Grier is going to need money and it won't matter if Ogbah wins every conceivable award in 2023, makes the AP All-Pro First Team and wins NFL MVP, after 2023, he is gone. The Dolphins simply have too many upcoming holes to keep him around.
Ogbah will count $17.8 million in Dolphins cap space and releasing him prior to free agency will save Grier and the team $13.8 million while only carrying $4 million in dead money. That would drop to only $2 million if released post-June 1st but that extra $2 million isn't needed as much as the $13 million will when free agency begins.
In 2024, Ogbah should return to his pre-injury form of 2021. Last year he started off slow and then went to IR but the year before he was a force. This year, he should get plenty of opportunities to impact the games with Jaelan Phillips on one side and Bradley Chubb at outside linebacker.
Other notable salary cap issues could result in a few other players playing their final season with the Dolphins
- Jerome Baker - $14 million cap - $11million savings
- Cedrick Wilson - $8.3 million cap - $7.3 million savings
- Jason Sanders - $4.1 million cap - $3.7 million savings
- Mike White - $5.2 million cap - $3.5 million savings
- Jeff Wilson - $3.7 million cap - $3 milliion savings
Those are only a handful of players whose cap numbers could influence Miami's 2024 off-season.