Revisiting the Dolphins' Busy 2021 Offseason and How the Moves Panned Out
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The 2022 NFL offseason officially has begun, with a significant step coming up Tuesday when teams can start applying the franchise or transition tag for a pending unrestricted free agent.
Before we look forward to what moves the Miami Dolphins might make this offseason with Mike McDaniel ready to get started as their new head coach, let's revisit what was a busy 2021 offseason, break down the most noteworthy roster transactions involving veterans to see which ones panned out and which didn't.
The roster transactions are listed in chronological order and go from February 2021 to the end of July.
Dolphins Roster Moves in February 2021
Signed K Jason Sanders to a five-year contract extension — It was hard to blame the Dolphins for rewarding Sanders after his brilliant 2020 performance, but kickers are a fickle bunch and there are who can maintain a level of excellent from year to year. The extension didn't look so great after Sanders struggled with consistency in 2021. 2022 VERDICT: Not looking good
Dolphins Roster Moves in March 2021
Released LB Kyle Van Noy — That absolutely was a head scratcher, considering the Dolphins had signed Van Noy to a four-year contract just one year earlier. Making it stranger is that Van Noy pretty much gave the Dolphins in 2020 what they should have expected from him. This certainly looked like a move that had more to do with non-playing issues. 2022 VERDICT: Not good
Signed P Michael Palardy as free agent — The Dolphins made the decision to replace Matt Haack as their punter, and this one proved to be a wash because Palardy's 44.7-yard average in 2021 was exactly the same as Haack's in 2020. 2022 VERDICT: Fair
Traded LB Shaq Lawson and a 2021 6th-round pick to Houston for LB Benardrick McKinney and a 2021 7th-round pick — This trade involving two established veterans proved to be a whole of nothing because both players ended up with another team last season, McKinney with the Giants and Lawson with the Jets. 2022 VERDICT: Inconsequential
Acquired T Isaiah Wilson and a 2022 7th-round pick from Tennessee or a 2021 7th-round pick — This turned out to be a flop because Wilson's lack of commitment to the profession led to the Dolphins dumping him after only a few days, but it still was worth a shot anyway considering Wilson was a year removed from being a first-round pick. 2022 VERDICT: Worth a shot
Signed UFA QB Jacoby Brissett to a one-year contract — Brissett fit the mold of the ideal backup for the Dolphins because he had plenty of starting experience and he came in fully understanding his role. It wasn't a great season for Brissett by any means, though it probably wasn't as disastrous as some Dolphins fans would have you believe. 2022 VERDICT: Not great
Signed UFA RB Malcolm Brown to a one-year contract — The Dolphins went for a veteran running back they hoped would bring a physical presence for the running game, but Brown wasn't that much of an improvement over failed 2020 UFA Jordan Howard. 2022 VERDICT: Not good
Signed UFA DT Adam Butler to a two-year contract — There was reason to like this signing considering the pass-rushing ability Butler had shown with the Patriots, but Butler posted career-low stats across the board despite playing more defensive snaps than he ever had. 2022 VERDICT: Meh
Signed UFA TE Cethan Carter to a three-year contract — This was a very interesting signing, particularly the fact he was given a three-year contract. The reason is that the Dolphins were bringing back their top three tight ends from 2020. Carter ended up being mostly a special teams player. 2022 VERDICT: Meh
Signed UFA C Matt Skura to a one-year contract — The Dolphins went with Skura instead of re-signing Karras, a move that didn't pan out (putting it mildly). Skura was cut in camp, while Karras started 13 games after going back to New England. 2022 VERDICT: Not good
Signed UFA WR Will Fuller V to a one-year contract — We don't really need to go over that one, do we? 2022 VERDICT: Didn't work out
Re-signed UFA WR Mack Hollins to a one-year contract — That was an under-the-radar great move, though one could argue he should have gotten more than a one-year deal because he's a pending UFA again and somebody the Dolphins should re-sign. 2022 VERDICT: Very good
Re-signed UFA LB Elandon Roberts to a one-year contract — It was telling to what then-head coach Brian Flores and the Dolphins thought about Roberts that they re-signed him while he was working his way back from a torn ACL. Roberts played solid linebacker for the Dolphins, but he's now a pending UFA again. 2022 VERDICT: Solid
Traded the 3rd overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft to the San Francisco 49ers for the 12th overall pick, 1st- and 3rd-round picks in 2022, and a 1st-round pick in 2023 — Absolutely, positively had to love this move to pick up two future No. 1 picks to move down only nine spots in the first round. 2022 VERDICT: Great
Traded the 12th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft along with a 2021 4th-round pick and a 2022 1st-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 6th overall pick in 2021 and a 2021 5th-round selection — This was the dual move to the trade with the 49ers and we certainly can't say we like it as much as the first deal, particularly since the future first-round pick the Dolphins gave up was one in 2022 and not 2023. 2022 VERDICT: Not great
Dolphins Roster Moves in April 2021
Signed UFA DT John Jenkins to a one-year contract — This had the makings of a very good under-the-radar signing at the time, but Jenkins really wasn't much of a factor in 2021 and likely won't be re-signed. 2022 VERDICT: Didn't pan out
Signed UFA T D.J. Fluker to a one-year contract — The Dolphins took a shot at helping their offensive line with this former first-round pick, but Fluker had a washout year after landing on IR with a knee injury, getting waived-injured, having to serve a six-game NFL suspension, and then going to the Raiders and Jaguars practice squad. 2022 VERDICT: Didn't work out
Traded G Ereck Flowers and a 2021 7th-round pick (258th overall) to Washington for a 2021 7th-round pick (244th overall) — Like Van Noy, this move was a head-scratcher. To move up 14 spots in the SEVENTH ROUND, the Dolphins gave up on one of their few proven offensive linemen, saving only $4 million of cap space in the process after agreeing to pay $6 million of his 2021 salary. While the Dolphins offensive line struggled for most of 2021, Flowers started 16 games for Washington and by all accounts had a solid season. Again, a weird, weird move. 2022 VERDICT: Bad
Dolphins Roster Moves in May 2021
Released S Bobby McCain — This was not a popular move at the time because McCain was a longtime Dolphins player and team leader, but did anybody really miss him after Jevon Holland and Brandon Jones emerged last season? 2022 VERDICT: Fair
Signed DB Jason McCourty as a free agent — This was a good move in terms of leadership, experience and versatility, though McCourty clearly was past his prime. McCourty began the season as a starter at safety before being surpassed by the young players and then landed on IR with an unclear future heading into this offseason. 2022 VERDICT: Solid
Dolphins Roster Moves in June 2021
Signed LB Jerome Baker to a four-year contract extension — This move worked out better than the Sanders extension because Baker had another good season, though not quite as productive as what he did in 2020. But Baker clearly is a foundational piece on defense. 2022 VERDICT: Solid
Signed UFA G Jermaine Eluemunor to a one-year contract — This was another shot the Dolphins took to help their offensive line, but Eluemunor never seemed to be given a true opportunity to compete for a starting job and he ended up getting released before hooking up with the Raiders, for whom he played 14 games. 2022 VERDICT: Weird
Dolphins Roster Moves in July 2021
Re-signed WR Isaiah Ford to a one-year contract — This was the only move of note in July heading into training camp, and it's worth pointing out because it speaks to how the Dolphins organization respects Ford by giving him opportunity after opportunity. 2022 VERDICT: Solid
