Why the Dolphins Shouldn't Be Linked to Every Player Waived

It's not a great secret that the Miami Dolphins roster could use some upgrades, and that applies at just about every position.

It's only logical then that whenever a player with some sort of name recognition or even simply starting experience gets waived or is reported to be about to get waived to start thinking about the Dolphins claiming him.

Such was the case Wednesday when the Indianapolis Colts waived cornerback Mekhi Blackmon and again Thursday morning with the reports that the Cleveland Browns will be waiving wide receiver Cedric Tillman.

Both players are former third-round picks, so there's some ability there, but the prevailing question that always should be asked in these situations is why the player was waived in the first place and would that player automatically be an upgrade just because he was more highly touted coming into the NFL.

But there's another factor at play when it comes to Blackmon and Tillman, and it's something that always, always should be examined first.

WHY NOT EVERY PLAYER WAIVED SHOULD BE LINKED TO MIAMI

Whenever a team claims a player, that acquiring team assumes the contract of the player and becomes responsible for the base salary and whatever bonus hasn't already been paid out.

And the Dolphins, in case you haven't noticed, aren't paying big money for newcomers.

On the contrary, they're usually paying the minimum salary.

And Blackmon and Tillman both are scheduled to make $3.6 million in 2026, and that basically makes them off limits for the Dolphins.

Don't buy it?

Let's examine the Dolphins' payroll after we point out that, yes, the Dolphins could lower cap numbers by restructuring, but that would push cap commitments down the road and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan isn 't likely to do that for a player another team has just deemed unworthy of keeping.

Now, if an interesting player were to get waived and then clear waivers, then his contract ends and there are no further obligations, which means any team — including the Dolphins — can negotiate a new deal.

This is where the Dolphins would go for player acquisition, before the waiver route.

THE DOLPHINS' FINANCIAL PATTERN

If the Dolphins were to claim either Blackmon and Tillman — and from this vantage point, Tillman would make a lot more sense — that player would become the highest-paid Dolphins player in 2026 in terms of base salary.

Yes.

You read that right.

The current leader in that department is linebacker Tyrel Dodson, who's scheduled to make $2.4 million in the second year of the two-year contract he signed in March 2024 after he became an unrestricted free agent.

Blackmon or Tillman also would get into the top 10 in terms of 2026 cap number. The current highest cap number for a veteran newcomer not named Malik Willis, who's clearly an exception, is the $1.34 million the Dolphins inherited on the contract of offensive lineman Caedan Wallace after they acquired him in a trade with the New England Patriots.

Among non-Willis free agents, tight end Ben Sims currently has the highest cap number at $1.33 million.

So we think the Dolphins would claim a player off waivers for almost three times that cap space or salary?

Yeah, didn't think so.

Sure, exceptions do happen, and we've learned never to say never or that something is impossible.

Let's just say the idea of the Dolphins claiming a player who makes significantly more than the minimum just doesn't seem to fit with what they've been doing all year.

It's something to remember as the waivers start coming fast and furious over the weekend.

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