Ask Omar: How Can The Dolphins Create Cap Space To Sign Dalvin Cook

Take 4 of my attempts to fill in for Alain Poupart answering questions on the SI Fan Nation All Dolphins mailbag.

From @mj1987us26

Who do you think can get a contract rework to make room for Dalvin Cook, a vet DT, and LB?

I wouldn’t worry too much about the veteran defensive tackle, and linebacker salary because I’m pretty sure Miami can find a quality training camp option for less than $2 million.

There are two dozen aged, but polished NFL starters who will find work the week before training camp opens. And General Manager Chris Grier has annually pulled off trades the month before the regular season begins to fill voids.

It’s Cook’s salary slot, which will likely be in the $4-7 million range, that could present some challenges, especially if there's a bidding war, and a standing $7 million offer from the Minnesota Vikings.

But those challenges can be easily overcome.

Jalen Ramsey's contract is begging to be re-worked, but Miami will likely restructure him next season to create necessary cap space.

Cornerback Keion Crossen is the Dolphins player whose $3.15 million salary makes him the most vulnerable player on the 2023 training camp roster. The Dolphins would get all of that back in cap space if he’s released, or traded.

Cedrick Wilson is an easy salary dump. Problem is, nobody in the NFL is trading for him and his $7 million paycheck without Dolphins owner Steve Ross subsidizing a large portion of it. I don’t see that happening unless Miami gets a similar bad contract in return.

Then we move to the Washington tailbacks, Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed. If Cook is added to the Dolphins those two college teammates would become Miami’s fifth and sixth tailback, which means they’d be expendable. Cutting Ahmed would clear $1.1 million, and releasing Gaskin would clear another $1 million.

So purging Crossen, Gaskin and Ahmed creates $5.25 million in cap space, and that should be more than enough to get a deal done with Cook when you factor in that only the top 51 salaries count during this period.

But keep in mind the Dolphins already have $13.5 million in cap space available, so it's likely that Crossen, Gaskin and Ahmed will all make it to the exhibition season because there's no need to cut them for cap space.

From @fscoops

Should Miami make Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips defensive ends and trade Zach Sieler?

First off, in this 3-4 scheme, Chubb and Phillips are edge rushers.

That means they are pass rushing outside linebackers.

While they have the skillset to drop back in coverage in rare situations, that approach doesn’t put them in spots that highlight their strengths. So I’m expecting both pass rushers, outside linebackers, to spend most of their snaps with their hands in the ground, just like an end, going forward.

Therefore, categorizing them as a defensive end isn’t necessary. If the Dolphins wanted to utilize a 4-3 front I’m pretty sure Chubb, Phillips and Emmanuel Ogbah would be the ends, and Christian Wilkins, Sieler and Raekwon Davis would be the defensive tackle.

At times new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has used a five man front, and if that's the go-to I'm guessing Phillips, Ogbah, Wilkins, Sieler and Chubb are on that line.

As for trading away Sieler, I’m not sure how that benefits Miami unless they know he’s a flight risk as a free agent, which could very well be the case, especially since he sat out most of the offseason program.

And if it is, why not get a fifth-round pick, or better for Sieler now. However, I don’t see that happening because traditional defensive tackles are relatively easy to find. It’s the 3-4 ends and 3-4 nose tackles that are tough to find.

I don’t know where all this trade Sieler stuff came from, but where there’s smoke there’s usually fire. The Dolphins don’t have enough money to pay everyone next offseason, and it would benefit them to get draft picks in 2024 for free agents they know will be departing because Miami will likely continue to be aggressive in free agency, which would water down the team's chances of landing compensatory picks for free agent defections.

From @Sngly:

Will Braxton Berrios be the most underestimated signing of the offseason? Do you think he’ll be utilized in the same way as Wes Welker (the Patriots version), or the Jets’ Wayne Chrebet?

It’s kind of interesting that you mentioned Welker and Chrebet because Berrios was a member of the Patriots and Jets, and never exactly lived up to the slot specialist hype at either spot.

While I’m a fan of the former Hurricanes standout, I think he’s a role player on this team, especially after seeing Robbie Chosen shine during the offseason program.

Berrios will likely be Miami’s punt returner, and the slot specialist, sharing the third receiver workload with Chosen. I can see Berrios having a 30 catch season, feasting off option routes. But to get there he’ll need to develop chemistry with Tua Tagovailoa, and to do that he’ll need to work with him regularly.

That might happen if Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle pace themselves during training camp, allowing Berrios to get the call up.

From @RuudAwakeningg

How worried are you of Connor Williams holding out during training camp? And does his deal take precedence over signing Dalvin Cook?

I’m not worried about a hold out. The NFL’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement makes it impossible for players under contract to holdout. It would cost them too much in fines.

However, they can hold-in, which means show up for work, but not practice because of a mysterious injury. That’s what Xavien Howard did until the Dolphins fixed his contract back in 2021.

In my opinion, Miami should make Williams a respectable contract offer, committing to make him one of the NFL’s 10th highest paid centers. But I’d object to his request of being paid like a top five center after one season at the position.

The top six centers in the NFL all clear $10.5 million in take home salary this upcoming season, and that’s likely the stratosphere Williams wants to enter.

I think Williams was phenomenal last season. Do it again and he'll be handsomely rewarded. But if you’re looking for a $10 million-plus salary the open market might have to provide that next offseason.

From @lukefader

Expectations from fans and media seem to be high for the Dolphins in 2023. Does this team have the mental toughness to avoid buckling under the pressure?

Expectations should be high based on the talent Miami has on the roster (starters, not backups), and the fact Vegas odds (+2500) hint that the Dolphins have reasonable odds to win the Super Bowl.

Only nine teams - Kansas City, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Cincinnati, San Francisco, Dallas, the New York Jets, Baltimore and Detroit - have lower outright betting odds than Miami, which share the same odds as Jacksonville and the Los Angeles Chargers.

Based on my experience, teams generally take on the personality of their leadership. I’m talking about the squad’s head coach, and the team’s top players, and captains. McDaniel is an out-the-box thinker, which is refreshing.

But if we're being honest, we don't know how good of a coach he is yet. It's only been one season, and the Dolphins ended it poorly.

Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jalen Ramsey, Emmanuel Ogbah, Jaylen Waddle and Christian Wilkins have all been at the mountaintop before (some in the pros, and some on the collegiate level) so they should help the Dolphins build a winning culture.

In my humble opinion, this season will be shaped by the injuries, and how capable the reserves are to step up and deliver when they are asked to.