Jackson: Dolphins have discussions with Wheeler or Patterson to take pay cut

[Daytona Fin]

Cornerback Dimitri Patterson ($5.3 million) and linebacker Philip Wheeler ($5 million) are due to earn the fourth-highest and fifth-highest salaries on the Dolphins next season, leaving both in question as free agency nears. The Dolphins have discussed a pay cut with at least one of them. One Dolphins source said Wheeler seemed to become complacent last season after getting a big contract, and general manager Dennis Hickey has tap-danced when asked about his linebackers.

There’s a big difference in their situations: Patterson has a $5.4 million cap hit if he stays, no cap hit if he’s cut. Wheeler has a $6.4 million hit whether he stays or goes, meaning it would be pointless to cut him unless Hickey finds an affordable and clearly better player.

Also, the Dolphins already have substantial cap space --- $39 million, fifth-most behind only Oakland, Jacksonville, Cleveland and Indianapolis.

By the way, backup quarterback Matt Moore, due $4 million in 2014, hasn’t been asked to take a cut. Tampa Bay pursued Moore last spring when Hickey was in the Buccaneers’ front office.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...phins-heat-marlins-chatter.html#storylink=cpy

 

[Njphinsfan]

I really want Patterson to stay, but not at his current salary. He is good when healthy, and maybe worth the money he is making, but he can't stay healthy. Wheeler just sucks and I could care less what happens to him. Hopefully, he will at least do one thing right for the Dolphins and take a pay cut to open up some more money for his replacement!

 

[hoops]

if you are wheeler why would you take a pay cut...have to be awfully generous...give back what you are already guaranteed...makes no sense...he's got us

patterson i could see that off the injury plagued 2013...his market can't be but so much if he goes elsewhere...doubt he could get anywhere near $5.4 mil

 

[dlockz]

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/spor...phins-heat-marlins-chatter.html#storylink=cpy

I doubt wheeler takes a pay cut since he has so much guaranteed money but Patterson might take a cut since if cut he would struggle to get more than a couple of a million.
Not sure about the Hickey statement on Moore that seems pretty bogus since Moore never entered free agency last year and we know TB did not make a trade offer for him.
Probably more false info from media

 

[PHINSfan]

I rather keep Wheeler as a backup, if they manage to get a better player, than just see him walk with his 6 million dollars contract. Patterson, I hope we can resign him at an affordable price. He was good when he played.

 

[So Be]

Have to believe it was Patterson asked to take a cut. Wheeler only got a $1M salary last year.

 

[dlockz]

Have to believe it was Patterson asked to take a cut. Wheeler only got a $1M salary last year.

yea but he made way more than 1 million last year.

 

[DuderinoN703]

Patterson has got to take a pay cut since he cannot stay healthy. Granted he did have a lot of success when he did play last year but since he's been hurt all the time it would make sense for him to take a pay cut but remain on the team.

 

[spiketex]

Patterson is a very experienced pro. To survive in the NFL for like 8 seasons, he has done well. In the interviews he comes across as pretty smart but fairly distant. Like his game on the field, he seems to know precisely what he is doing. I would expect that Dimitri and his Agent have analyzed the situation and concluded that he is one of the players most vulnerable to getting cut to generate cash for potential free agents. He played well and contributed for the small number of games that he was on the field. If he is fully healthy and likes it here in Miami, he could well be the proactive guy offering the pay cut.
The key is his health. If he can't get back to full health (I think that it was a hernia), then it's probably better to cut him. However, if healthy, he is an asset.