Potential Replacement for Jerome Baker
In a continued effort to get under the salary cap limit, the Miami Dolphins released starting linebacker Jerome Baker on Tuesday afternoon.
Baker has been a mainstay on Miami’s defense since being selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft. He wasn’t an all-world linebacker but was quite productive in his six seasons.
He had more than 100 tackles in a season three times and recorded 16.5 sacks between 2020 and 2022. Last season, he played in a career-low 13 games (due to injury) and only recorded 78 total tackles and 1.5 sacks. He did record two interceptions, though.
Replacing Baker’s volume won’t be easy, especially with the Dolphins’ lack of cap space. Also, the team likely will prioritize trying to bring back or replace Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt.
That said, there are a few free agent and NFL draft options the Dolphins should consider to replace Baker unless they decide to give Duke Riley the starting job.
Free Agency Options to Replace Baker
Patrick Queen, Baltimore Ravens
Queen makes this list only because of his connection to Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. Weaver watched Queen have the best season of his career in 2023, as Baltimore’s defense dominated most of the season.
Queen recorded a career-high 133 tackles and a career-low 8.3 yards allowed per reception in coverage, according to PFF.
The former first-round pick is expected to be one of the top linebackers on the market, meaning the Dolphins likely would have to win a bidding war for his services. Given their current cap situation, that seems unlikely.
Spotrac projects Queen will receive a five-year deal worth just more than $92.6 million, which would value him at more than $18.5 on average annually. Miami probably can’t compete in that market.
Besides that, there are some on-field concerns to consider. Queen’s best season came in a contract year when he played next to All-Pro Linebacker Roquan Smith. When you study the Ravens’ defense, it’s easy to see how much easier Queen had it with Smith next to him.
David Long Jr. is a solid overall player, but he’s nowhere near as good as Smith. It's worth considering whether Queen can maintain his high level of play without someone like Smith.
Queen would be a big splash, but better options are available relative to cost.
Blake Cashman, Houston Texans
Cashman is a super underrated name on the free agent market this offseason. Like Queen, he enjoyed a career season in 2023. With the Texans, Cashman recorded career highs in total tackles (106), INTs (1), passes defended (5) and run stuffs (11.5).
On tape, Cashman is an instinctual linebacker with the speed to cover tight ends and running backs while making an impact against outside runs. His time with former NFL linebacker DeMeco Ryans (Houston’s head coach) seems to have paid off.
Spotrac doesn’t have a market value listed for Cashman, but PFF projects he’ll receive something close to a two-year deal worth $8.5 million, with $5.25 million guaranteed. That’s a lot more affordable than Queen’s projections.
The biggest concern about signing Cashman is whether his success was just a flash in the pan. He ended up with Houston because he struggled to get onto the field with the New York Jets from 2019 to 2021.
Cashman wasn't a consistent contributor even in his first season with Houston. He played just 149 defensive snaps in 2022 compared to his 655 this past season.
There’s a ton of upside to bringing in Cashman. Assuming the projections are close, he would be a bargain relative to his high level of play.
Josey Jewell, Denver Broncos
Jewell isn’t a flashy player, but he’s incredibly consistent. He wore the green dot on Denver’s defense and was responsible for getting everyone lined up. He knows his job, and he gets others in a position to do theirs.
Sometimes, that’s enough to get by at linebacker. Jewell is pretty solid in coverage, sinking to the correct depth and limiting the number of yards receivers gain after the catch.
Price-wise, he falls between Cashman and Queen’s projections. PFF projects Jewell will earn $6.25 million AAV over two seasons, and Spotrac projects Jewell will earn $7.6 million AAV over two years.
The Dolphins should be capable of getting to a point where they can afford a contract in that range. They’ll have to do some restructuring to get there, but Jewell can provide solid production for an affordable price.
Unlike Cashman, you know what you’re getting with Jewell, as he’s been rock solid since entering the league in 2018.
NFL Draft Options to Replace Baker
Junior Colson, Michigan
The Dolphins are in an odd spot relative to the linebacker class. Miami doesn’t have its third- or fourth-round picks this season, where most of this class’s linebackers are projected to be drafted.
The team could acquire a third- or fourth-round pick sometime this offseason, or someone could fall down the board. In either scenario, Colson is an option worth considering.
He played in the middle of Michigan’s vaunted defense the past three seasons, helping them win a national championship in January. Last season, he recorded 95 total tackles, two tackles for loss and two passes defended.
On tape, Colson displays above-average instincts defending the run. He does a good job identifying where the offensive line is trying to go and getting there before they can. His only weakness against the run is how he deals with contact.
However, Colson was taken off the field in obvious passing situations in 2023, and his coverage film from 2022 is pretty underwhelming. If Miami does draft him, they shouldn’t ask too much of him in coverage.
He has the natural athletic ability to improve in coverage over time, but it’ll likely be rough in his rookie season.
Trevin Wallace, Kentucky
It is challenging to project where Wallace will get drafted. His size (6-1, 237 pounds) and athletic profile are above average. That said, his tape is wildly inconsistent.
However, that inconsistency could push him down the board, giving Miami a chance to draft and develop him.
Wallace’s developmental upside is wrapped up in his athletic profile. At the NFL combine last week, he ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash, jumped 37.50 inches in the vertical, and recorded a 10-foot-7 inch broad jump.
All of those numbers finished inside the top three for all linebackers at the combine. That speed and explosiveness show up on tape, too. When he’s confident in his reads, Wallace explodes downhill, allowing him to blow up plays in the backfield.
In coverage, his length and speed give him the natural tools to hang with all types of pass catchers in the middle of the field.
Wallace wouldn’t be an immediate replacement for Baker. The Dolphins would need to pair him with a veteran player acquired in free agency so Wallace can learn and develop. However, He has the tools to replace Baker long term.
Payton Wilson, North Carolina State
Wilson is the only linebacker the Dolphins should consider with their second-round pick (No. 55 overall). He would still be a risky pick that early, but he’s got the best film among an underwhelming group of prospects.
Wilson also performed exceptionally well at the combine last weekend. He ran a 4.43 40-yard dash, the fastest of the linebacker group, and finished in the top 10 in the vertical and broad jumps.
His tape is delightful to watch, as he consistently makes plays against the pass and run. He’s an experienced player who played in 47 games across five seasons. In those five seasons, Wilson recorded 402 tackles, 15 sacks, seven interceptions and 45 tackles for loss.
He’s productive, experienced, athletic, and has good tape. So, what’s the problem? Wilson has an extensive injury history. Between high school and college, he battled hamstring, knee and shoulder injuries.
He tore his ACL during his senior season in high school and missed most of the 2021 season because of shoulder surgery.
Linebackers take on a lot of wear and tear at the NFL level. It’s fair to question whether Wilson can hold up at the next level. However, if Miami truly values linebackers, taking a shot on Wilson could be the way to go.
