The Miami Dolphins have completed their offseason program, as the team has held rookie minicamp, organized team activities and mandatory minicamp.
Now, there’s some time off before the players and coaches reconvene at their Baptist Health Training Complex in late July for training camp.
Actually, all 32 teams across the league are on break starting Friday, so it’s a good time to assess Miami’s current cap situation in relation to the rest of the league.
The Dolphins got some cap relief on June 1 with the official release of cornerback Byron Jones, but they’ve since signed three of their four rookies to their entry contracts. Second-round pick Cam Smith is the lone unsigned rookie at this point.
According to ESPN’s Field Yates, general manager Chris Grier has $13.32 million to play with, putting Miami 17th in the NFL in cap space and eighth in the AFC.
Grier will have to officially ink Smith to a deal, which is expected to be valued at $7.03 million over four years with a $1.28 million cap hit in 2023.
That means the Dolphins should have around $11 million to make whatever moves they feel are necessary before the season.
They could opt to start extending some of their own talent such as Christian Wilkins, Zach Sieler or Robert Hunt, who are all supposed to hit free agency in 2024. Miami could use that money to front-load their contracts in 2023 with roster bonuses, or they could free up more cap space with other maneuvers.
There’s also the chance that the team continues signing veterans that are still on the market, as there’s talent still available and holes that could certainly be filled on the roster.
Keeping the money into the season in case of emergencies or to carry into next year may be a smart move as well, considering the Dolphins are expected to be $31 million over the cap in 2024, according to Over the Cap.
