Miami Dolphins

A look at the Miami Dolphins future by age and salary

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:46 p.m. ET

Fansided, Brian Miller/FanSided via Phin Phanatic

Nov 9, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Miami Dolphins tackle Branden Albert (71) against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Dolphins seem to be on an upswing heading into their 2017 off-season. While Adam Gase and the executive team have work to do, it’s not going to be easy to continue the rise.

Although the Dolphins made the post-season in 2016 it’s not a guarantee that they will be a shoe-in for 2017. A lot of work needs to get done. The Dolphins need to get younger in some areas and more experienced in others. It’s a combination of age and experience versus salary.

How do you judge a teams age vs. experience vs. salary? It is more than simple production because injuries, supporting cast, schemes, and fit all play a part in that. As Dolphins fans have seen players like Wes Welker and even Chris Hogan were average in Miami and super human in New England. Somewhere coaching too comes into play.

What is certain is that the Dolphins have to look at the age of players and the contracts they currently have and then weigh that against the production and play of that player. But the more important part of the equation and where Mike Tannenbaum and Chris Grier have to be near perfect is when to add a players replacement to the roster. Simply waiting until that player is no longer needed is not the answer. And it costs more money.

There are three to four tiers of age values in the NFL. The first rookie contracts that typically cover a player from age 21 to 25, the ages of 26-28, 29-32, and finally those that are in the final years of their NFL careers. Most roster turnover occurs in the 21-25 year old range as team sign and release undrafted rookies and practice squad players.

The bulk of a players production should come in the final two stages but there is a premium on the 26-28 range because that tends to be the higher salary bracket as good players coming off their rookie deals make the most money of their career unless they continue to perform at a high level entering the final two stages in which they will see another large payout in contract.

Breaking down any team by age is easy but comparing the ages to the salary to the production is more difficult. Identifying the players that will soon need to be replaced can be more daunting. Here is an attempt, an ATTEMPT, at looking at the Dolphins current roster as it is now. Comparing the age vs. the salary vs. potential production and replacement. Feel free just to comment now and rip us now.

Sep 1, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (67) walks off the field after a game against the Tennessee Titans at Hard Rock Stadium. Tennessee won 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

As a player enters the NFL they do so as either a draft pick or an undrafted player. They are paid based on their draft status. Yet another scale. Years of a contract are slotted based on where a player is drafted. First rounders have a 5th year option while everyone else has four-year deals. Undrafted free agents typically sign three-year deals at the most.

Turnover at this stages is high as teams sign and release players all season long in this age group.

The Dolphins currently have 29 players in this age bracket making up the biggest portion of their roster. Of those 29 players 10 are full-time starters.

Laremy Tunsil – rookie contract

Jay Ajayi – rookie contract

Xavien Howard – rookie contract

Matt Darr – special teams

Andrew Franks – special teams

Ja’Wuan James – rookie contract

Jarvis Landry – rookie contract

DeVante Parker – rookie contract

Kenny Stills – impending free agent

Dion Sims – impending free agent

The Dolphins are starting to get better production from other players still on their rookie deals such as Bobby McCain and Jordan Phillips. Players like Damien Williams, Neville Hewitt, and Tony Lippett are showing they have a lot of potential and upside or are providing solid depth at their respective positions.

Players like Jelani Jenkins, Walt Aikens, Terrence Fede and Jordan Lucas are contributing but are not making the bigger strides that many had hoped for after showing a lot of promise.

Contracts of these players are not out of this world for the most part. Three players, Laremy Tunsil, De’Vante Parker, and Ja’Wuan James earn more than $2 million per season with all three making over $2.5 per year. Xavien Howard, Jordan Phillips, and Jarvis Landry all make over $1 million per season.

Kenny Stills and Dion Sims are both impending free agents and Jarvis Landry’s contract will likely be addressed this off-season. Sims is expendable but many believe that Stills has earned a new deal with the Dolphins.

Miami is getting good production or depth from many in this group and growth was seen in 2016 making the bottom of the Dolphins roster, the youth of the roster, something to build upon.

The Dolphins have 14 players from this group who should see continued growth and as such remain a part of the club for the next two or three years. In the case of Stills it’s about his contract.

Jakeem Grant, Leonte Carroo, Kenyan Drake, Laremy Tunsil, Jay AJayi, Neville Hewitt, Xavien Howard, Bobby McCain, Jarvis Landry, Tony Lippett, DeVante Parker, Jordan Phillips, Damien Williams, and perhaps Kenny Stills.

Conversely, players like Ja’Wuan James, Terrence Fede, Walt Aikens, and Mike Hull need to improve over the next year or two.

Nov 27, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) attempts a pass against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Dolphins have 14 players in this age group (four of them on IR). Typically these are the players that are on their 2nd NFL contracts. They are normally players that are no longer developing but honing their skills as they reach for the peaks of their careers.

Eight of these 10 players are starters. Including 28-year-old Ryan Tannehill. Kiko Alonso is the youngest of the bunch and is coming off his rookie contract and will be an impending free agent in March. Andre Branch started much of the season as did Byron Maxwell. Mike Pouncey, Isa Abdul-Quddus, Jordan Cameron, and Reshad Jones are all starters who finished the season on IR.

When comparing these players age to salaries to production it gets a little harder due to the injured members of the team. Five of these players are paid in the top 10 of the Dolphins salary cap. Tannehill is the highest and will count $20 million against the cap

Jordan Cameron is an impending free agent that the Dolphins shouldn’t re-sign. Reshad Jones should get a new contract as he enters the final year of his last contract.

In this group the Dolphins are getting top performance and value vs. the players contract when the players are healthy. Jones, Pouncey, and Abdul-Quddus were huge losses for the Dolphins but all three were top starters who produced. Maxwell has been up and down all season and may not warrant his salary. The Dolphins can save $5 million by releasing him only having $3 million in dead money. The question with Maxwell is whether he is getting better.

For the most part, Miami has good player in this stage but they need more players in this group. The Patriots for comparison have 17 players in this age group with most of them high contributors. They have 24 players in the first stage, five less than Miami.

The Dolphins need to target this range in free agency and add proven players that fit their schemes. In addition, three-year players coming off their rookie deals that are under the age of 25 should also be targeted beause they will improve this group in future years.

The Dolphins shouldn’t have a need to replace these players but they do. Jordan Cameron needs to be replaced and his replacement is not on the roster. The last eight game tapes of Byron Maxwell will determine his value to the Dolphins and his replacement is not on the roster making a decision on Maxwell’s future harder.

Consideration needs to be given to Mike Pouncey as well considering his injury history. Ideally the Dolphins will look for a player to develop behind Pouncey this off-season in case Pouncey’s injury gets worse. Kiko Alonso needs to be re-signed as the linebacker group is a mess.

When health though, the Dolphins are getting solid play from this group.

Sep 27, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (left) and Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake (right) both are seen near the line of scrimmage against the Buffalo Bills during a game at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Dolphins are one of the youngest teams in the NFL for a reason. only 14 players are above the age of 29 and nine of those are over the age of 30. Not all of those 14 are expected back on the roster when the 2017 season kicks off.

T.J. Yates was added as insurance to Matt Moore, Matt Moore has one year left on his deal and is expected back. Mario Williams is not. Of the 14 29 and over, only six players were non-injury replacement starters. Ndamukong Suh, Branden Albert, Earl Mitchell, Jermon Bushrod, Cameron Wake, and John Denney.

Of those starters only Suh, Wake, Albert, and Bushrod were very good in 2016. Conversely the Patriots have 12 players on their roster currently over the age of 29. Almost all of them are high contributors to the team.

This is not an area that the Dolphins need to improve in. The team must get better in the 25-28 range so those players grow into stage three and maybe stage four. Where Miami’s problem lies however is that they have no back-up plans for this groups eventual departure from the team.

Miami must find replacements for Cameron Wake and it’s not a bad idea to start looking for options now for Ndamukong Suh although the priority is a lot less. Bushrod, Matt Moore, and linebacker Koa Misi all need replacements on the roster this year ideally. John Denney at the age of 38 only has one maybe two years left but the Dolphins should be looking for a replacement now and maybe even this off-season. Denney is an impending free agent and is a specialist.

Unfortunately for the Dolphins some of their better depth is also in this group. Dominique Jones, Sam Young, Kraig Urbik, Bushrod, and Moore. Jones and Bushrod are free agents and the Dolphins have no players on the roster to replace them with.

Then there is Branden Albert. Albert is starting to show the signs of his age. At 32 Albert’s back issues appear to be starting to take its toll. Miami has his replacement in Laremy Tunsil but they don’t have Tunsil’s replacement at left guard. Moving on from Albert will not likely be happening this year. Albert will count just over $10 million in cap space this year and releasing him would save the Dolphins over $7 million but again, they may have to replace two guard positions this off-season if they release Albert.

Nov 23, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Miami Dolphins long snapper John Denney (92) celebrates his special teams turnover recovery in the third quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos defeated the Dolphins 39-36. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Dolphins have 21 impending free agents. Some are unrestricted while others are restricted and exclusive right free agents. If we are looking at age brackets vs. salary and production (almost sounds like money-ball) some of these players should be ruled out quickly while others who we think should go might stay.

The youngest players are Lafayette Pitts, Thomas Duarte, and Jake Brendel. All three are ERFA players meaning the Dolphins have exclusive negotiating rights to keep them. And they should. Damien Williams at the age of 24 is a restricted free agent and the Dolphins should consider tendering him as he has provided solid depth and a change of pace to the offense.

The only other ERFA and RFA players on the Dolphins roster are Anthony Steen, Nick Williams, and Mike Hull. Kiko Alons is also an RFA player. All four are under the age of 27 with Alonso, Steen, and Nick Williams 26 and Mike Hull at 25 and Damien Williams at 24.

The UFA’s or unrestricted players below the age of 26 are Jelani Jenkins, Kenny Stills, and Dion Sims. Of those three Kenny Stills is as close to a must sign than any other free agent but even if Miami doesn’t sign Stills they have his replacement on the roster, or at least one that is penciled in.

Jenkins is interesting because his play has dropped considerably in the past two season and the Dolphins need to upgrade their entire linebacker group. Jenkins is expendable and his return will be predicated on his salary demands. Sims too is expendable and the Dolphins need to upgrade their TE group.

The Dolphins have seven players in the 2nd age group. Bacarri Rambo is the youngest at 26 while Jordan Cameron, Spencer Paysinger, and Donald Butler are all 28. Andre Branch and Michael Thomas are 27. None of these players are must sign free agents. In fact, each of them are all expendable in one way or another. Only Andre Branch is a consistent starter and comes close to being a must sign.

A return by Branch would help with continuity on the defense and he played well but not well enough to warrant a huge contract. However he would be one of the top players I would hope to re-sign.

Michael Thomas knows the system and has some good games and some bad and when they are bad they can be really bad. His contract demands will determine his return but the Dolphins typically keep four safeties total.

From 28 to 32 the Dolphins have six free agents with Jermon Bushrod the oldest at 32. Bushrod is at the end of his career but played well in 2016 and wants to return. Miami should bring him back for insurance at the very least.

T.J. Yates, Jordan Cameron, and Donald Butler have no reasons to return while Spencer Paysinger will be cheap as will Dominque Jones.

Finally there is John Denney. Denney is 38 years old, is strictly a long snapper, makes over $1 million a season, and happens to be the longest tenured Dolphins player with 12 years in the league and with the team. Denney was undrafted in 2005 signing with the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent. He has not missed a game since being joining the team. 192 games total.

Denney should be re-signed and allowed to retire as a Miami Dolphin when he decides he is ready.

The Dolphins overall are in good shape as it relates the age makeup of the roster but they lack solid production from many of the players in the third group and need to get more production from many of their starters. However with injuries the way they were and the younger group stepping up, the Dolphins did very well with what they had.