Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins may have seen the last of Koa Misi

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Miami Dolphins have put Koa Misi on the injured reserve list for the 2nd time in as many seasons. He isn’t likely to return in 2016 and may not return at all.

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According to some reports, and the Miami Herald, Misi’s neck injury may be more serious than originally thought. Misi is seeking specialist treatment for the injury suffered two weeks ago. The Dolphins effectively ended his season on Monday.

Miami can bring one player back from the IR list and it appears that spot will go to Earl Mitchell who is allowed to come back after week eight. Many believe he will be ready to return. If Mitchell does come off IR, Misi will not only end the season on IR but may never play another down for the Dolphins.

Misi will make $3.6 million in 2016 and his contract jumps to around $4.8 million in 2017. Since his arrival, Misi has never been better than average and frankly would be an ideal back-up linebacker if the Dolphins had a solid linebacking group.

Misi has yet to come close to being worth almost $5 million in any given season and given his last two seasons ending on the injured list, the Dolphins would be extremely smart to let this one go unless they can re-sign him for just over league minimum.

If the Dolphins do decide to cut Misi loose they will save almost the entire salary off the cap. Miami will still have to count $578 K in dead money. It’s still a very low amount for a player who can’t stay healthy and isn’t an effective playmaker when he is on the field.

Misi joined the Dolphins in 2010 as a 2nd round draft pick. In 2013 he signed a four year contract extension as the Dolphins were trying to keep some of their own draft picks beyond their rookie deals. The problem is Misi has never really improved from season to season and is as effective now as he was his rookie year.

In his six year career, Misi has appeared in 16 games only once, his rookie season and has never started more than 14 games in any given season.

While there are no guarantees that Misi will be gone next year, the Dolphins have a lot of decisions to make in regards to the direction they are taking the team and Misi offers no value outside of a back-up at this point in his career.