With Miami needing to open up cap space, some veterans will be on the chopping block as the team tries to spend more effectively. Many of the Dolphins’ issues in 2014 came back to lacking explosiveness and playmakers at key positions, so change should be a welcome addition. Upgrading mediocre talent should not be hard for a quality general manager.
Some of the cuts are obvious if we’re judging by the lack of production that came in 2014. With the help of Over The Cap, we take a look at cuts that should occur to help alleviate Miami’s cap issues.
Vets Randy Starks, Cortland Finnegan and Brandon Gibson were too up and down in 2014, and none are worth their high-salary numbers moving forward. Philip Wheeler should be considered for a June 1st, as the money saved on his contract is much more significant with that designation. That leaves a tough decision on Brian Hartline.
Hartline wasn’t the same player in Bill Lazor’s offense, and he’s way overpaid for what he is. He’s the 16th-highest paid receiver in the NFL, but below-average as a starter. Until Mike Wallace’s self-benching in Week 17, it was a foregone conclusion that Hartline would be cut, but now, Wallace could be dumped for a mere $600,000 more than Hartline.
That could be worth it to purge a problem from the locker room, even though the talent difference is steep.
Either way, Miami should be able to open around $20 million to improve the roster. Let’s assume that one of Wallace/Hartline is released or traded as we look at the team needs moving forward.
Miami could also restructure Cameron Wake’s contract to open another $5 million of cap space. If Wake takes the restructure, it basically ensures he will end his career as a Dolphin, as his final two years on his deal would be hard to release. This would be a wise decision as Wake is a valuable leader in the locker room and improved his play in the last few weeks of the season.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ee-agency-an-early-guide-to-the-market/page/2
Not a big bleacher fan but here is a little look at 2015.
Some of the cuts are obvious if we’re judging by the lack of production that came in 2014. With the help of Over The Cap, we take a look at cuts that should occur to help alleviate Miami’s cap issues.
- LB Dannell Ellerbe can be released to save $5.65 million. He would count as $4.2 million dead money on the cap.
- CB Cortland Finnegan can be cut to save $5.475 million, with a $1 million dead cap hit.
- DT Randy Starks can be released to save $5 million toward the cap, also with a $1 million dead cap hit.
- WR Brian Hartline can be released to save $3.15 million, but his dead money is $4.2 million.
- WR Mike Wallace can be cut to save $2.5 million, but if he's traded, Miami saves $5.5 million.
- WR Brandon Gibson's release would save $3.26 million toward the cap.
- LB Philip Wheeler can be designated as a June 1st cut to save $3 million toward the cap, but Miami doesn't get that cap room until that date.
- RG Shelley Smith can be released to save $2.75 million.
- Backup lineman Nate Garner can be cut to save $1.65 million.
Vets Randy Starks, Cortland Finnegan and Brandon Gibson were too up and down in 2014, and none are worth their high-salary numbers moving forward. Philip Wheeler should be considered for a June 1st, as the money saved on his contract is much more significant with that designation. That leaves a tough decision on Brian Hartline.
Hartline wasn’t the same player in Bill Lazor’s offense, and he’s way overpaid for what he is. He’s the 16th-highest paid receiver in the NFL, but below-average as a starter. Until Mike Wallace’s self-benching in Week 17, it was a foregone conclusion that Hartline would be cut, but now, Wallace could be dumped for a mere $600,000 more than Hartline.
That could be worth it to purge a problem from the locker room, even though the talent difference is steep.
Either way, Miami should be able to open around $20 million to improve the roster. Let’s assume that one of Wallace/Hartline is released or traded as we look at the team needs moving forward.
Miami could also restructure Cameron Wake’s contract to open another $5 million of cap space. If Wake takes the restructure, it basically ensures he will end his career as a Dolphin, as his final two years on his deal would be hard to release. This would be a wise decision as Wake is a valuable leader in the locker room and improved his play in the last few weeks of the season.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ee-agency-an-early-guide-to-the-market/page/2
Not a big bleacher fan but here is a little look at 2015.
