Why Dolphins Latest Injury Update Makes James Daniels Future Murky

The Miami Dolphins might not have much more than pride to play for, but head coach Mike McDaniel gave some injury updates that might raise some big questions about one player who could contribute next season.

McDaniel revealed that left guard James Daniels won’t return this season after suffering a pectoral injury.

This hardly comes as a surprise, given that Daniels hasn’t played since Week 1, and McDaniel hasn’t seemed confident that Daniels would return in a while. Still, now that it’s basically official, it’s fair to consider what this means for Daniels’ future in Miami.

What Should the Miami Dolphins Do With James Daniels?

Daniels signed a three-year, $24 million contract with $7.25 million guaranteed this past offseason, according to Over The Cap. He was the crown jewel of Miami’s modest free agency class, but obviously that hasn’t worked out.

Daniels isn’t owed any more guaranteed salary after this season, and cutting him before June 1 would result in a $4.8 million dead cap hit, along with $114,000 in cap savings for next season, according to Over The Cap.

The Dolphins designed the contract this way to have an out after one season, likely because Daniels was coming off an Achilles’ injury that kept him most of last season.

He’s played just five games across the last two seasons, and five is generous because he played three snaps for Miami this season.

The Dolphins can move on, and they’ve got reason enough to do so, but whether that’s the correct move is a little more complicated than just the finances and injury history.

We don’t know what type of team Miami will be next season. If McDaniel and QB Tua Tagovailoa are both gone in favor of a full rebuild, then holding onto a veteran like Daniels doesn’t make much sense.

If McDaniel or/and Tua stay with the hope that a new general manager can breathe some life into this roster, perhaps hanging onto a relatively inexpensive former starting guard makes more sense.

It’s not like Miami has found a long-term option at right guard. Jonah Savaiinaea mans the other spot, and as much as Cole Strange has settled in recently, he’s still not a viable long-term starter.

Ultimately, Daniels’ future will likely come down to what Miami decides to do this offseason. We know the general manager who signed him won’t be back, but the jury is still out on the head coach.

Other Injury Updates

McDaniel also provided an update on Minkah Fitzpatrick, who missed the loss against the Bengals with a calf injury. Miami’s head coach isn’t optimistic Minkah will play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but said, “there’s a reason we haven’t shut him down.”

Obviously, if Fitzpatrick doesn’t play against Tampa Bay, his last chance to suit up this season would be on the road against the New England Patriots.

Given Miami is out of the playoffs and can’t even finish with a winning record, it’s hard to imagine the team pushing Fitzpatrick to play if he’s not 100%.

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