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Dolphins High in Pending UFA Snaps, Low on Cap Space

The Miami Dolphins will enter free agency this offseason in a rather unfavorable position
Alain Poupart|
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Calais Campbell (93) celebrates after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium in the 2024 season opener.
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Calais Campbell (93) celebrates after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium in the 2024 season opener. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

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Miami Dolphins

Coming off a disappointing 8-9 season, the Miami Dolphins now find themselves in a rather unfavorable position heading into the offseason — at least when it comes to meaningful pending free agents and cap space available.

Based on a chart produced by Nick Korte from Over The Cap, the Dolphins stand as the only team in the NFL that ranks in the top five in terms of total 2024 snaps for pending free agents and lowest effective cap space.

It puts them in Korte's category of teams that "might have to let some free agents to leave."

THE DOLPHINS' HIGHEST-PROFILE PENDING FREE AGENTS

The Dolphins' season-ending 2024 roster featured 27 players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents at the start of the new league year in March.

The group is headed by veteran defensive linemen Calais Campbell and safety Jevon Holland, along with seven others who started the season finale against the New York Jets: QB Tyler Huntley, LG Robert Jones, RG Isaiah Wynn, DT Benito Jones, OLB Emmanuel Ogbah, LB Tyrel Dodson and S Jordan Poyer.

Other than Holland, a Dolphins second-round pick in the 2021 draft, and Dodson, who was claimed off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks during the season, all those players were signed or re-signed to one-year contracts last offseason.

That means they were not players who figured in the team's long-term plans, but they obviously became contributors and will have to be replaced.

Per Korte's chart, the only teams with more combined snaps among their pending free agents are the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders, two teams that unlike the Dolphins made the playoffs this season.

Washington and Minnesota also have the cap space to be able to find replacements or re-sign those free agents.

THE DOLPHINS IN THE RED FOR CAP SPACE

The Dolphins, on the other hand, actually are in a negative cap space situation where they first will have to trim some fat just to become cap-compliant with their Top 51 by the start of the league year.

As it stands now, per overthecap.com, the Dolphins have four players with a cap number higher than $20 million for 2025, topped by Tua Tagovailoa's $39 million hit. The others are Bradley Chubb, Tyreek Hill and Terron Armstead.

The Dolphins have another five players with a current 2025 cap number exceeding $10 million: Jalen Ramsey, Austin Jackson, Zach Sieler, Jaelan Philllips and Jordyn Brooks.

Doing some quick advanced math, that's nine players at a cap number of $10 million or higher for 2025 as it stands right now; the Dolphins finished the 2024 season with two, Hill and Armstead, and both of them were under $20 million.

So, yeah, we can expect some transactions influenced by the salary cap this offseason.

Yes, the Dolphins will find a way because NFL teams go through this every year, but there will be a cost involved, and that cost — as indicated by Korte — will be letting go of some players the Dolphins otherwise would want back.

This isn't that different from last offseason when the Dolphins also had some cap navigating to do, which played a role in Christian Wilkins, Robert Hunt and Andrew Van Ginkel all leaving in free agency.

It's the cost of adding high-priced veterans, which the Dolphins made a practice of over the past few seasons when they brought in Hill, Armstead, Chubb and Ramsey via free agency or trade.

In terms of cap space, the Dolphins currently are among 10 teams in the red in terms of effective cap space (top 51 plus 2025 draft class). The Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys are the others who also rank in the top half of the league in terms of combined snaps for pending free agents.

But, again, no team has a worse combination than the Dolphins.

It's going to make a tricky offseason after a disappointing season.

Published
Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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