Examining Miami Dolphins free agent options on offense

So where can a team with limited salary cap space and defensive needs improve the offense?

Exploring the Dolphins’ options in positions of need offensively, knowing that Miami will almost certainly need to release players and restructure contracts to clear significant cap space:

▪ Running back: The best options might be to give up Raheem Mostert (who rushed for a career-high 891 yards, 21st in the league) and Jeff Wilson (who was 24th with a combined 860 yards for the 49ers and Dolphins) .

Mostert and Wilson tied for 11th in the league in average per carry, at 4.9.

The most expensive unrestricted free agent options include the Giants’ Saquan Barkley (295-for-1312, 4.4 average), Detroit’s Jamaal Williams (262-for-1066, 4.1 average and NFL-high 17 TDs), Josh Las Vegas’ Jacobs (a league 340-1,653 rushing yards, 4.9 per carry) and Philadelphia’s Miles Sanders (259, 1,269, 4.9).

Dallas’ Tony Pollard (193 or 1007, 5.2) suffered a broken left tibia in last Sunday’s playoff game, casting doubt on his market value.

It would be surprising if the Dolphins try to land any of those players with big-money offers, though nothing can be ruled out after Miami signed Tyreek Hill.

The next level of unrestricted free agents, from a price and performance standpoint, include Carolina’s D’Onta Foreman (4.5 average on 203 carries for 914 yards), Buffalo’s Devin Singletary (177-819, 4.6 per carry), Chicago’s David Montgomery (201-801, 4.0) and Jerick McKinnon (4.0 on 72 carries for Kansas City and 56 for 512 yards and 9 TDs as a receiver).

Those four would be worth it if Miami decides to stick with Mostert but not Wilson.

More reasonably priced free agent options include Kareem Hunt (123 carries, 3.8 average), Latavius ​​Murray (171, 4.4 average for Denver and New Orleans), Damien Harris (who averaged 4.4 yards on 106 carries behind of Rhamondre Stevenson in New England), Samaje Perine (4.1 in 95 categories) and James Robinson (3.9 in 110 carries for Jacksonville and the Giants).

Of that group, none would be an update on the 2022 versions of Mostert and Wilson.

It will be interesting to watch the market for Seattle’s Rashaad Penny, who led the league in average per carry with 6.3 in 2021 and averaged 6.1 in five games last season before a season-ending fibula injury in October.

The Dolphins like Mostert and Wilson and hope to offer restricted free agent Salvon Ahmed.

But by no means would I rule out looking for external options. The Dolphins finished last in the league in rushing attempts.

▪ Receiver: This could be as simple as re-signing Trent Sherfield and River Cracraft to low-cash deals as backup to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. This is the position that needs the least attention on the team.

A veteran could be added if Cedrick Wilson Jr. is traded. Miami needs to create chances for Erik Ezukanma and the staff likes practice squad receiver Braylon Sanders.

▪ Offensive line: With money strapped, the Dolphins could do without any significant addition, though the backup left tackle issue needs to be addressed due to Terron Armstead’s durability issues.

Chris Grier has said that Liam Eichenberg (left guard) and Austin Jackson (right tackle) will again have a chance to win starting spots, suggesting Miami won’t spend much on veteran starters defined at that position.

One expensive option that could be tempting is 49ers free agent right tackle Mike McGlinchey; McDaniel’s time in San Francisco intersected with McGlinchey’s. PFF rated him the 34th-best tackle of last season, but he made $10.9 million last season and it would be expensive.

The Dolphins are clearly hesitant to give up on the idea of ​​Jackson starting, and spending big on a free agent right tackle would likely mean giving up Jackson as a starter.

This could be as simple as re-signing Kendall Lamm and Brandon Shell as backup tackles, and having them compete with Jackson at right tackle, and then have Rob Jones compete with Eichenberg at left guard.

But the Dolphins would need at least one more interior lineman, including a backup center, in that scenario. Michael Deiter is a free agent and didn’t play a snap last season.

If the Dolphins keep both Shell and Lamm, that raises questions about whether the line has enough positional versatility, Armstead, Shell and Lamm are all tackled; Jackson can play tackle or guard.

▪ Tight end: Mike Gesicki will surely move on, and the Dolphins are left with this question:

Do they want to spend $6 million or more a year on a legitimate starter to share time with Durham Smythe, or do they commit to Smythe, Hunter Long and Tanner Conner and just add a cheap veteran who wouldn’t necessarily start?

Dallas’ Dalton Schultz (57 catches, 577 yards) and Jacksonville’s Evan Engram (73-766) and potentially Gesicki are the top three tight ends positioned for big deals. Schultz is the best blocker of those three.

Keep an eye out for Las Vegas’ Foster Moreau, who had 33 catches for 420 yards in 14 starts last season. Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith coached him in Las Vegas in 2019 and 2020. But PFF ranked him the sixth-worst run-blocker among tight ends; Gesicki was seventh.

And like previous Dolphins staff, this coaching staff has shown an affinity for players they’ve coached before, including Sherfield, Cracraft, Mostert, Wilson and Alec Ingold.

Also keep an eye on Baltimore’s Josh Oliver, PFF’s second-best run-blocking tight end this season. He would be reasonably priced and has reception skills as well; he caught 14 of 149 and two touchdowns last season.

Beyond Moreau and Oliver, reasonable unrestricted free agent options to complement Smythe, Long and Conner if the Dolphins so choose include Tennessee’s Austin Hooper (41 receptions for 444 yards, two starts in 2022). , Green Bay’s Robert Tonyan Jr. (53-for-470, three starts), Bengals’ Hayden Hurst (52-for-414 in 13 starts), Minnesota’s Irv Smith (25-for-182 in eight games; made seven starts in 2020 and 202 ), the 49ers’ Tyler Kroft (4-for-57, four starts), Houston’s Jordan Akins (37-for-495, three starts) and Texans teammate OJ Howard (10-for-145, 10 starts).

Among that group, Pro Football Focus ranked Akins 12th, Oliver 14th, Hooper 18th, Hurst 30th, Moreau 39th, Tonyan 52nd, Smith 56th and Howard 57th among 74 tight ends.

As run blockers, Hurst was the highest rated of that group, at 32nd. Hurst might be perhaps the most expensive on that list; the Bengals will probably try to keep him.

For perspective, Smythe was rated 33rd and Gesicki 41st out of 74 tight ends.

▪ Backup quarterback: Teddy Bridgewater proved too injury prone to warrant his return. And the Dolphins need to take the role seriously because of Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion and durability issues.

So the Dolphins probably need to sign Jimmy Garoppolo or a backup like Philadelphia’s Gardner Minshew or Andy Dalton from the Saints. Here is more on this topic.