The free company enjoyable across the NFL does not start till the center of March, and the Miami Dolphins are going to have a whole lot of work to do earlier than then relating to deciding which of their very own gamers they need to re-sign.
The Dolphins entered the offseason with 27 gamers scheduled to change into unrestricted free brokers with the beginning of the brand new league 12 months, together with 21 who have been on the 53-man roster when the group confronted the Buffalo Payments within the wild-card playoffs.
The listing is headed by tight finish Mike Gesicki, who performed the 2022 season on the franchise tag, backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and veteran edge defender Melvin Ingram.
Excluding Gesicki, the Dolphins re-signed 9 of their very own UFAs final offseason, and that quantity simply may very well be matched, if not topped, this 12 months.
As is the case each offseason, contract calls for and salary-cap realities will play a task by which gamers find yourself again with the Dolphins subsequent season, however we nonetheless can supply an early forecast on the chance of return or departure for these 27 gamers.
DOLPHINS UFAs WITH HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF RETURNING
CB Nik Needham — Needham returned to the Dolphins in 2022 after signing his tender as an RFA, however then noticed his season reduce quick by an Achilles damage. Whereas he is a superb ascending participant, the damage will not assist his market worth and the Dolphins can use cornerback assist.
RB Raheem Mostert — Head coach Mike McDaniel referenced his relationship with Mostert a number of occasions throughout his first 12 months in Miami and Mostert had some actually good moments in 2022.
P Thomas Morstead — Morstead supplied a significant improve within the punting recreation for the Dolphins and he is made clear he needs to remain in Miami.
WR Trent Sherfield — Why would Sherfield need to go away after going from being largely a particular groups participant in San Francisco to the clear third huge receiver behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle?
WR River Cracraft — Like Sherfield, Cracraft carved a task in Miami that he may discover troublesome to get with one other group.
DOLPHINS UFAs WITH MODERATE LIKELIHOOD OF RETURNING
LB Duke Riley — The Dolphins re-signed 4 off-the-ball linebackers in free company final 12 months, and all of them once more at the moment are free brokers. It is actually troublesome to examine a situation the place all 4 — Riley, Elandon Roberts, Sam Eguavoen and Brennan Scarlett (UFA after ending final season on the apply squad) — are-signed. Riley is a core particular groups participant, which could earn him a return ticket.
LB Elandon Roberts — Roberts amazingly signed a one-year contract with the Dolphins every of the previous three offseasons, and he is coming off a stable efficiency in 2022, although his recreation does have limitations.
S Clayton Fejedelem — Fejedelem has particular groups worth, which might result in his return.
LB Sam Eguavoen — Eguavoen might return on the proper worth due to his particular groups work.
DT John Jenkins — The veteran gives stable depth in the midst of the defensive position at an inexpensive worth.
T Brandon Shell — Shell did a stable job for the Dolphins after changing Austin Jackson at proper sort out and he might return until Miami needs to offer Jackson his job again with out a problem.
CB Justin Bethel — Bethel is a professional’s professional who had an excellent season on particular groups and as a fill-in cornerback.
RB Jeff Wilson Jr. — The Dolphins must ask themselves whether or not they need to run it again with the identical group of backs or search for an improve.
LB Andrew Van Ginkel — This at all times has been a favourite of ours, a man who appears to make a whole lot of performs regardless of not getting as a lot taking part in time as others on protection. The Dolphins could be sensible to carry him again, although it may very well be that he seems elsewhere for an even bigger position.
RB Myles Gaskin — After main the group in speeding in 2020 and 2021, Gaskin fell to fourth on the place final 12 months and sure would search for an even bigger position elsewhere, although he might need a tough time discovering it.
T Kendall Lamm — Signed late within the season, Lamm ended up sustaining an ankle damage in his solely recreation (and begin) for the Dolphins. Perhaps the Dolphins resolve to carry him again for depth at a discount worth.
DT Justin Zimmer — Zimmer by no means actually received an opportunity to get getting into 2022 and could also be value one other look.
DOLPHINS UFAs WITH LOW LIKELIHOOD OF RETURNING
TE Mike Gesicki — Gesicki stated all the proper issues on locker cleanout day about wanting to return again, however the Dolphins aren’t going to supply an enormous contract to a participant whose position significantly diminished in his fifth NFL season. Gesicki clearly is a greater match for offenses apart from what the Dolphins run.
QB Teddy Bridgewater — This has nothing to do with capability, however Bridgewater not ending both of his two begins after which being sidelined for the season finale and the playoff recreation just about closed the door on a return to Miami as a result of you’ll be able to’t have a QB with sturdiness considerations backing up a starter with sturdiness considerations.
S Eric Rowe — Rowe has had his moments throughout his time in Miami, however his position on protection step by step decreased and he is a pay reduce after averaging $4.9 million on his final Dolphins contract.
LB Melvin Ingram — It is nearly exhausting to keep in mind that Ingram was chosen because the AFC Defensive Participant of the Month for September as a result of he was awfully calm down the stretch. Approach too quiet for any individual who was getting paid $4 million.
LB Trey Flowers — Flowers by no means actually received a lot of an opportunity to contribute to the protection after touchdown on IR with a foot damage, although we might say he perhaps would have extra of an opportunity of returning than Ingram.
T Eric Fisher — The Dolphins had a good suggestion in attempting to choose up a longtime veteran to assist out the O-line late within the season, although the concept was spoiled due to Fisher’s calf damage. The place his profession stands out is anybody’s guess.
T Greg Little — Little received his shot at being a starter after accidents hit the offensive line, however his play was underwhelming sufficient that the Dolphins basically selected apply squad elevation Lester Cotton over him for the playoff recreation.
TE Adam Shaheen — The Dolphins already removed Shaheen, although he returned to spend all of 2022 on IR after a bodily with Houston revealed a torn ACL. It is troublesome to examine the Dolphins revisiting the concept of utilizing Shaheen, who additionally won’t need to stick round a group that already traded him.
T Geron Christian — The Dolphins have sufficient younger offensive linemen.
G/C Michael Deiter — It is inconceivable to think about Deiter having an incredible need to return to the Dolphins after he performed nothing however particular groups the entire season regardless of a slew of accidents on the offensive line that created beginning alternatives at each place aside from middle.
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