Miami Dolphins In Depth

Dustin Keller: Dolphins over the Jets

Dustin Keller just spoke with the South Florida media and the most interesting things about his 10 minute chat follow:

That Jets versus Dolphins rivalry everyone of you pour over?

"Once we got to free agency all that was out the window," Keller said. "I just wanted to check the market and see whre everything was. Coming into the Dolphins and speaking with all the coaches, it was a good fit."

Keller says he had interest from multiple teams but ultimately his choice narrowed to the New York Jets or the Miami Dolphins.

"It was really between those two," he said. "Other teams were talking but there really those two teams that came down to and once I made the visit it made my decision pretty easy."

Why?

"We had talked to New York as well but what it came down to was it was a better fit for me. I had a great time in New York but it was time to move on for me. I see my future here in Miami. I see a bright one. I feel like I'm going to be surrounded by a great lockerroom and just great guys and coaches that are going to help me thrive."

I understand that you'll read that quote and perhaps wonder why Keller is talking about a future in Miami when he only signed a one-year deal. Look, that deal gives Keller an opportunity to prove what he believes is his true value.

If he somehow finds great chemistry with quarterback Ryan Tannehill and catches, say, 60 passes for 800 yards, the Dolphins will obviously want to keep him in the fold and could easily do that before he hits free agency.

Keller, being a competitor, is thinking that will be the case. He's not meditating on the possibility he'll get injured again or will simply be overshadowed in the Miami offense. He's expecting big things.

Keller met with multiple coaches including position coach Dan Campbell, who he apparently has great respect for. He also met head coach Joe Philbin.

"They're all about winning and winning now," Keller said. "I know they've had some rebuilding years. But this is the time for them to win and that excited me more than anything."

 

Long leaves St. Louis, Dolphins 'encouraged'

Jake Long may still join the St. Louis Rams someday. But probably not today.

After three days of dining and meeting and poking and prodding and, yes, negotiating, Long left the Rams facility earlier without a contract from that team. That is a blow of sorts for Long who expected he'd have a deal with the team once his medical exam checked out.

It's also a blow for the Rams who wanted Long as their blindside protector of quarterback Sam Bradford.

The Rams did offer Long a contract, according to a league source. But it wasn't for the terms the Long camp want.

Meanwhile, as I've been reporting for days including today the Dolphins continue to want Jake Long back in the fold. They have continued to try to get him back throughout this process.

Now, keep yourself from making the leap that Long leaving St. Louis without a deal and Miami pushing for a deal means it is a certainty Long will return to the Dolphins. A league source told me today Long has multiple teams interested in him and that he is willing to explore those interests.

But, on the other hand, I'm told the Dolphins are very encouraged by today's happenings. The last time the Dolphins told me they felt things were looking good was earlier today and then the club agreed to a deal with TE Dustin Keller.

A reminder: The Dolphins have a Plan B if Long bolts, I am told.

But it is not correct to believe the Dolphins cannot continue to do other work while Long hangs in the balance. The team obviously already disproved this by getting Keller. The Dolphins are also hosting wide receiver Brandon Gibson and want to get him signed as well at the right price.

Free agency has not stopped because of Jake Long. 

Dolphins agree to deal with TE Dustin Keller

The Miami Dolphins and tight end Dustin Keller are closing in on a deal that would bring the prospective New York Jets free agent to Miami.

According to league sources the sides are in the final stages of getting a deal done. Although there is no definitive agreement yet, both sides believe one will be done barring last minute snags.

Terms of this deal are not available.

[Update: The deal is done. It is for one year.]

Keller, 29 in September, has 241 catches in the 72 NFL games he's played the past five seasons. He was the New York Jets first round draft pick in 2008.

The Dolphins needed to add tight end help for multiple reasons including the fact they lost Anthony Fasano, the starter since 2008, to the Kansas City Chiefs via free agency.

The club also wanted to upgrade the position with superior pass catching.

Keller brings some of that. He has never caught fewer than 45 passes in a season he played all 16 games and that despite the Jets obvious troubles at quarterback.

Keller is not considered a great blocking TE. He is considered a better pass-catching threat than the Dolphins have had since Randy McMichael, who last played in Miami in 2006.

Keller visited the Dolphins on Wednesday and Thursday. He was looking for a long-term deal but his price was clearly beyond what the Dolphins were willig to pay long-term. By signing a one-year deal, the sides agreed Keller would have a chance to prove his true value in 2013 and return to free agency in 2014 for a chance to get a better deal.

The Dolphins were previously linked to Oakland's Brandon Myers but showed no significant interest in him.

Twitter gives an insight to Long, Keller situations

I love twitter.

I wrote something on twitter on Wednesday and within 30 minutes it was on profootballtalk.com and a few minutes later the Dolphins texted me to clarify their position.

Twitter on Thursday also let us know the sense of apparent frustration Jake Long is having as his marathon visit to the St. Louis Rams dragged into a third day.

Despite a Wednesday report that Long's deal was done, despite being reportedly cleared by the Rams medical staff, despite a whirlwind tour of the city and multiple meals courtesy the team, Long still was unsigned as of this writing.

"I know you guys want answers right now, we do too! It's all going to work out for the best and we'll let you know when we know!" Mrs.Jackie Long, the offensive tackle's wife, tweeted just before midnight.

Look, contracts take a while. But slam-dunk deals don't take this long. This is obviously not a slam-dunk.

The Rams, desperate to get a blindside protector for quarterback Sam Bradford, are apparently not that desperate. If they'd given Long his asking price, it would have been done already.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, continue to tell me re-signing Jake Long is currently their free agency priority. I do not know whether they have made Long another offer -- they've made at least two that I know of -- but I imagine they have parameters and I supposed they have wiggle room within those parameters.

Me, I think it's better to set an offer nearly as high as you're willing to go and if the player doesn't bite, move on and continue conducting business.

As to the conduct of that other free agency business, I see the Dolphins as wanting to address some needs on offense. They brought in tight end Dustin Keller for a visit Wednesday and Thursday and hosted Rams receiver Brandon Gibson Thursday and part of Friday.

That's a good idea because, as I say in my column today in the Miami Herald, addressing the offense should remain the priority this offseason.

Offense.

Offense, offense, offense, offense, offense.

That last sentence, by the way, was more offense than the Dolphins showed in most games last season.

But I understand sometimes that adding players on offense is a matter of timing. The Dolphins can't go full in for some players when they've got the Long decision (and his contract) hanging in the balance.

And sometimes a deal is hard to strike early in free agency when a player has delusions of financial grander. And this is where I introduce you to Damien Keller. He is Dustin Keller's brother. And, God loves me, he has a twitter account.

And on that account on Wednesday just before Dustin arrived for his Miami visit, Damien tweeted: "If Jared Cook is worth 5 yrs, 40 million... How much more does that mean Dustin Keller should be getting?"

Two things:

Cook actually got a five-year, $35.11 million deal from the Rams. It has $19 million guaranteed. He's getting $21 million the first three years. The contract is a legit $7 million per season deal.

So it is a huge deal for a tight end of Cook's past modest production. No wonder the Dolphins didn't get this done.

Yet the thinking from the Keller family is that the prospective New York Jets free agent is worth "more," as Damien tweeted?

Really?

Dustin Keller is a $4 million a year tight end all day. He's a very nice complement on a team with other weapons. But he is not elite. He is not $7-million-a-year good.

Do you understand why he left the Dolphins without a deal Thursday? He will continue to look for more money. He will not get it from the Jets. My understanding is he might try the Giants, or the Buffalo Bills. His agent reached out to the Denver Broncos.

I don't think any of those teams will pay his price either. Actually, the Bills, the hot mess that they are, might do something for him because they're desperate and stinky and dumb.

But if not, Keller's price will drop. And if it drops to more palpable levels, the Dolphins should still be interested. 

 

Dolphins interest in DE Michael Bennett makes sense

Agent Drew Rosenhaus has a gift for getting the Miami Dolphins interested in his clients.

Sometimes that's been a problem such as the year he got tight end Eric Green to Miami as the signature free agent signing when the team really needed a defensive end. Sometimes, it's blessing.

Consider this a better moment because the Dolphins are interested in prospective Tampa Bay free agent defensive end Michael Bennett, a Rosenhaus client.

Bennett, one of the top pass rushers on the free agent market, is visiting the Dolphins today, The Herald's Adam Beasley has confirmed. 

It makes sense.

Bennett, a five-year veteran, had nine sacks last season and the Dolphins desperately would like to add a classic 4-3 defensive end to put on the other side of the line opposite Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Wake.

Bennet also makes sense for Miami because of the familiarity. He played at Texas A&M under Mike Sherman, now the Dolphins offensive coordinator. It's not a stretch to believe Sherman knows his former player.

Bennett has 13 sacks in the last two seasons (in 30 games) and 15 sacks in his career. Tampa Bay has said it wants Bennett back but obviously has not done enough to get him.

Sean Smith to Kansas City

Turns out Vontae Davis had it right all along.

Sean Smith has agreed to a three-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, according to his agent.

That leaves a void for the Dolphins. But is anyone all that upset?

It should depend.

And it will, as many things do, depend on the money.

The Dolphins liked but didn't love Sean Smith. They never were intending to franchise him, as the Palm Beach Post reported. They never were intending to pay him the $8 million per season that Smith originally thought he'd be worth.

So the question becomes, how much did Smith actually get?

If Smith got his asking price (doubtful) then the Chiefs overpaid and you tip your hat to Smith and wish him well. Ciao!

Have fun covering Demaryius Thomas and playing against Phillip Rivers and Peyton Manning twice a year.

If, however, the Chiefs were more careful with their dollars and got Smith for a bargain -- say, $2-$3 million per season -- then the Dolphins made a mistake not keeping Smith.

[Update: YahooSports.com reports the Smith contract is three-years for $18 million with $11 million guaranteed.]

Smith, supremely talented but also supremely inconsistent, was worth some money, some respect, if for no other reason than not allowing cornerback to become a glowing hole on the roster.

My feeling is this likely will land somewhere in between the two obvious choices of overpayment and underpayment.

In either case, the Dolphins now need cornerback help.

Yes, there are guys available in free agency. Brent Grimes is out there. Aqib Talib is out there, although when he came out in the draft, the Dolphins had major flags on him and he's done nothing to change that as a pro.

But I see the team seriously considering cornerbacks in the draft. I've been told the Dolphins really like Florida State's Xavier Rhodes. He's probably the second-best corner on the market. He's 6-1. He ran a 4.4 at the combine. He's played top competition. He has the measurables.

Is he a can't miss? No.

But he is probably a first round caliber pick.

And don't be surprised if the Dolphins double down at cornerback during the draft. They did that in 2009 with Vontae Davis in the first round and Sean Smith in the second round. Of course, that didn't exactly work out exceedingly well, as we close the book on both.

Mike Wallace contract numbers interesting

So Mike Wallace signed a five-year, $60 million deal, right? It had $30 million in guaranteed money, right?

Well, yes.

And no.

According to spotrac.com (very good website), records at the NFL Players Association and a source who has shared details with me, Wallace actually got $27 million in guaranteed money.

He got an $11 million signing bonus plus a guaranteed $1 million base salary in 2013. And his 2014 base salary of $15 million is guaranteed. That's $27 million guaranteed.

But the Dolphins also gave Wallace a $3 million guarantee if he's injured. That one only applies if the player's career ends and he cannot play out the final years of his deal.

So the agent can truthfully say it is a $30 million guarantee.

The beauty of the contract is Wallace's cap number is only $3.2 million in 2013. That's very, very low for a $60 million player.

The beast of the contract, however, is Wallace's cap number in 2014 shoots up to a whopping $17.2 million. That is the highest number of any NFL wide receiver save Larry Fitzgerald.

The numbers drop somewhat the following years. The 2015 base of $9,850,000 plus the $2,200,000 prorated signing bonus make the 2015 cap number a more managable $12.05 million. Interestingly, the base salary becomes completely guaranteed on the fifth day of the league year, according to spotrac.com

That means that if the Dolphins plan to keep Wallace that year, they simply do nothing. But if he has not lived up to his deal the previous two years and the team wants to cut ties, it will do so before that deadline.

Wallace's final two years -- 2016 and 2017 -- are mirror images financially. He's scheduled to earn $11,450,000 both years and cost $13,650,000 against the cap both years. 

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As an aside, I offer you the Chris Clemons contract:

One year. $2.75 million. It contains $250,000 in signing bonus and a base salary of $2.5 million.

What does this mean?

The Dolphins like Chris Clemons.

They do not love Chris Clemons.

He's on the team to compete for a starting job. But if the Dolphins find someone better in the draft, he's still cheap enough to play on special teams and the contract makes it possible that he can even be cut for a relatively inexpensive $250,000 hit.

If I'm Chris Clemons, I work hard because I know I have a chance to start. But I don't feel all that safe.

Dolphins still vying for Jake Long even as he visits St. Louis

Jake Long, who has a gift for his economy of words when speaking with the media,also has a very vivacious and outgoing wife named Jackie.

That's right. Jake and Jackie Long.

Anyway, while Jake guards his privacy about as jealously as he does his quarterback's blind side, Jackie is more open. Jake has declined to speak with local media throughout his free agency period, selecting only national outlets to get out his message. Jackie, meanwhile, has a twitter account.

And that twitter account has been informative as to what's going on and how torn the couple is as they decide their future -- either with the Miami Dolphins or St. Louis Rams.

"Great dinner last night. Hoping to get everything figured out soon. No matter what happens we feel so fortunate." Jackie Long tweeted this morning from St. Louis where she and her husband awoke to a second day of a free agency visit.

Long spent nearly seven hours getting his physical from the Rams on Wednesday. Yes, perhaps the longest physical in the history of NFL free agency was probably a thorough investigation of the big man's multiple  former injuries -- biceps, triceps, knees, back, shoulders -- as the Rams decide how much they're willing to invest in Long.

As that physical was happening yesterday, Jackie Long had to correct an erroneous report in the South Florida Sun Sentinel that Long has agreed to terms with the Rams.

"Alright hold up everyone," Jackie Long tweeted minutes after the report went on the newspaper's website. "Nothing is official yet."

The report was vehemently denied through sources by the Rams who said not only was there no agreement, there were no terms that had even been discussed. The report was eventually taken down.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, remain hopeful they can get Long back. They have discussed contract details with Long's representation multiple times. They see Long taking trips as a way to set the market for his worth.

Long returning remains so important, the club was worried a tweet from Bryant McKinnie announcing he was on a plane to South Florida would be interpreted as him visiting the Dolphins and that would upset Long.

So the club made clear that no visit from McKinnie was scheduled so Long might not get upset and move on.

I don't read tea leaves. So I have no idea which way Long is going to go on this one. I know if the Rams had blown the Longs away on a contract, they were prepared to go that direction.

That obviously has not happened, at least not yet. And so the Dolphins are still vying to keep their left tackle. Their offer, which obviously wasn't what Long believed he was worth, is holding up so far.

[Update: NFL Network is reporting the Rams are negotiating a contract with Long.]

I'm told the Dolphins have a "Plan B" if Long bolts. They obviously will not implement that until Long makes a decision.

Update on TE Dustin Keller

The Dolphins "missed" on tight end Jared Cook on Tuesday, if you call not wanting to pay $7 million per year to a player who had exactly three receptions more than Anthony Fasano a miss. Alright, I understand the infatuation with Cook but that sure is a lot of money for speed and seam-threat potential.

The Dolphins thought they had Cook at one point the past three days, I'm told. Then the Rams put on the full-court press, which is defined as money, money, money.

Fine, the Dolphins are moving on.

Today, Dustin Keller is visiting with the team, as I reported this morning. Well, more specifically the club plans to give Keller its own kind of full-court press. There will be meetings with coaches, dining with club personnel, and the physical.

The physical, which I'm told was taking place this afternoon, is key. Keller missed a lot of games last year with hamstring and ankle injuries. He had, however, played 64 consecutive games prior to that.

So the thinking here is if Keller is healthy and his physical checks out, then the Dolphins and his agent will be able to begin discussing contract terms.

The Dolphins are also expecting a visit today from wide receiver Brandon Gibson, late of the Rams. Gibson visited the Jets Wednesday morning but left town without a contract. He was flying to South Florida to visit Miami next, according to various New York media reports.

[Update: The New York Daily News is reporting Gibson is staying overnight. I'm reporting that barring a deal, he will fly to South Florida Thursday. He is also scheduled to visit Tennesee.]

Keller, by the way, has shown an ability to be quarterback friendly -- that is, he finds a way to be in place to get his quarterback out of a tough situation. No, he's not running a 4.49 in the 40 like Cook or maybe Vernon Davis. No, he's not going to block out the sun.

But he's efficient. He's been solid. He's played in big games, including two AFC Championship games. He would help Miami's cause if the Dolphins pull the trigger.

What will it cost?

A lot less than $7 million per season. Maybe half that.

 

Dolphins introduce Wheeler, Ellerbe to media

Skullking around Dolphins camp I've picked up a nugget here and there. Here's the top nugget I have relative to the Dolphins apparently curious exchange of linebackers from Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett to Phillip Wheeler and Dannell Ellerbe.

Thinks playmaking. Think pass coverage. Think more speed. Think youth.

And, as was discussed Tuesday, all for about the same cap charge or less than what the Dolphins had.

The Dolphins in 2012 were not happy with the fact the defense did not have players that got the unit off the field. Yes,Cameron Wake was one. But who else?

Neither Dansby nor Burnett came up with game-changing plays. But the team believes that is more likely to get that from Wheeler and Ellerbe.

Both Dansby and Burnett, hitting the other side of 30, started to struggle in pass coverage in 2012. The Dolphins didn't feel it was going to get better as the pair got older. Enter Wheeler and Ellerbe -- both of which are gifted in pass coverage and have perhaps more speed than Burnett and Dansby.

Both players showed their enthusiasm for being with the Dolphins today when they were introduced to the media.

Ellerbe described himself as someone "who plays like their hair is on fire."

Wheeler described himself at the start of his press conference by using the word, "aggressive" in a 30 second span.

Like it.

Ellerbe comes from the Baltimore Ravens. He knows something about beating the New England Patriots. That's important for the Dolphins because that is the team they have to unseat if they're going to win the AFC East.

""Sooner or later you have to make something happen<" Ellerbe said of how to play the New England offense. "You have to make a play or force a turnover."

Mike Wallace meets the media in South Florida

Mike Wallace said today he spent the past two or three weeks contemplating where he would sign as a free agent wide receiver and actually had "a couple of options," about teams to play for.

But when he studied the Dolphins he saw a 7-9 team "that was better than a normal 7-9" team. He saw a quarterback -- Ryan Tannehill -- that is young but "has a lot of upside," he thought. And then the the so-called legal tampering period opened and the Dolphins got out of the blocks like Usain Bolt.

"I really felt they were really aggressive since Saturday when we were able to talk," Wallace said.

The Dolphins and Wallace's agent Bus Cook agreed by Saturday that the contract for Wallace would be for five years and $60 million. But the deal was not yet done. The guaranteed money was still an issue. That took a while but eventually the Dolphins and Cook got to the $30 million plateau that matched the team record $30 million in guaranteed money Jake Long got when he was drafted No. 1 overall in 2008.

So what are the Dolphins paying for?

Safety Chris Clemons, who signed a one-year deal with Miami, was asked today if he ever remembers covering Mike Wallace. He did and this is how he described it:

"I had the middle of the field, corner played off, he took it to the house," Clemons said.

Dolphins fans will feel encouraged about that. On the other hand, they might also recognize Clemons is likely to be a Miami starting safety.

I asked Wallace if he would be able to provide the kind of production in Miami that he did in Pittsburgh despite the fact the personnel, including the quarterback, and the offensive system will be different.

Wallace said he's not worried about that and that, in fact, the Dolphins have a good quarterback situation. "Two of them actually," he said, referring to Ryan Tannehill and Matt Moore.

Wallace and Tannehill had dinner together Tuesday evening. They went to a local restraurant by the Intracoastal Waterway. Wallace thinks Tannehill and he will be fine. "He smiled a lot," Wallace said.

"It's going to be different playing with a QB that's younger than me," Wallace added.

Roethlisberger treated the younger Wallace like something of a little brother, the receiver said.

"Now I have to be the big brother," he said.

 

Unrestricted free agency: Day two activities to watch

The second day of free agency is likely to bring another flurry of activity with Dolphins connections.

To start, the club is trying to upgrade at tight end after failing to land their prime target Jared Cook on Tuesday. Today, Jets tight end Dustin Keller is scheduled to visit with the team. If Keller doesn't work out, the club may look into Oakland's Brandon Myers.

Keller, 29 in September, has been a steady performer for the Jets but last season was hurt much of the time and only played eight games. He was known as one of quarterback Mark Sanchez's favorite targets when healthy.

Keller is not necessarily an all-purpose tight end as his blocking has been oft questioned in the past.

The Dolphins need a tight end after letting Anthony Fasano move on to Kansas City.

Offensive tackle Jake Long is in St. Louis to undergo a thorough physical. The Rams want to get their bearings on Long's injury status -- particularly with his left triceps, right biceps and both knees -- before they commit to paying him any sort of significant money as a free agent.

This should play out pretty simply:

If Long checks out medically to the team, the Rams will try to close Long. With Jermon Bushrod (Chicago) and Sam Baker (Atlanta) off the market, Long is considered the next best availableleft  tackle -- assuming he's in one piece.

The Dolphins would like to have Long back. But they don't want to overpay for a player they know has been medically, what's the word, predisposed to injuries the last couple of years.

They have what they believe is a good value placed on Long but if the Rams, who need desperately to protect quarterback Sam Bradford, place a higher value on Long, he's gone. If it's a tie, my guess is Long leaves.

This has been an emotional time for Long (who knew he had emotions) and he's been somewhat frustrated by the Dolphins not entirely trusting his health. By the way, I applaud the Dolphins for not trusting.

So really the only way the Dolphins keep him is by outbidding St. Louis. I suppose there is a chance Long takes other visits, but my guess is today will be a big day for him.

Today will probably also be a big day for Reggie Bush.

He is in Detroit to visit with the Lions. They are already on record as offering Bush a deal worth "well north of $3 million per season" and they want him as their lead running back.

So really, all that needs to work here is a fit and comfort level for Bush and the team. Yes, Bush has other suitors, most notably the Arizona Cardinals. But the Cards don't have much of an offensive line or proven answers at quarterback.

Bush is getting to that time in his career where he wants to be on a winner. The Lions offer that potential much more than the Cardinals do. Look for Bush to sign today as well if his questions are answered.

Bush isn't coming back to the Dolphins.

On yet another front, Sean Smith is a curious case. His agent was expecting a big market for his client but that big market didn't show up on the first day of free agency.

Indeed, the first day was something of a disappointment for the flooded cornerback market.

Darrelle Revis wasn't traded -- yet. Namdi Asomugha was cut by the Eagles, and the most notable signees were DeAngelo Hall in Detroit, Darius Butler in Indianapolis and Bradley Fletcher in Philadelphia.

Not exactly earth-shattering stuff.

Smith was originally supposed to visit Kansas City. But the Chiefs made other moves and are not bouyant in salary cap space. Agent David Canter also said Smith would be taking other trips but declined to name the teams.

Whenver an agent says that, he's trying to gain leverage for his client. Smith may indeed have multiple clubs wanting him to visit. But it's clear none at this point are willing to meet his demands of a contract that pays $8 million or so per year.

That kind of deal gets done quickly by a team with cap space and a strong conviction on a player. If Smith isn't done by the end of the day, it will strongly suggest no team is willing to do that kind of deal for him.

And with each passing hour, the chances of Smith returning to the Dolphins increase because, well, his market shrinks and looks closer to what Miami valued the player at. So today is huge for Sean Smith.

As to the players the Dolphins are still hoping to land, I keep hearing the name Brandon Gibson.

The Rams free agent wide receiver is visiting the Jets today. But he has other suitors. A league source said Gibson might take as many as four other trips -- with the Dolphins being one of them.

But ...

It's clear that in the preliminary talks Gibson's agent had with teams, the Jets stepped up the most and thus get the first visit. If the Jets don't close, the market for this receiver drops somewhat.

The Miami vision for Gibson is interesting. Yes, he's a wide receiver but he's very, very much a possession guy. He'd be a third wide receiver on the Dolphins behind Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline. He might be a bigger Davone Bess.

And so if the Dolphins add Gibson, what are they going to do with Bess?

If the Dolphins do not re-sign Sean Smith, the club has free agent options but those will be of the cheap variety. Miami showed interest over the weekend in Detroit's Chris Houston and San Diego's Antoine Cason.

Houston, however,  was reportedly negotiating a three-year deal with the Lions on Tuesday. We'll follow how that plays out.

Cason is a player the Chargers would like back but at a reasonable price. He made $1.2 million in 2012. He's a big corner at 6-1 and he has 12 interceptions in his five-year career. I like him more than Smith, to be honest.

The Lions and Browns also have shown interest in Cason.

Brent Grimes is a player the Dolphins had some interest in but that seemed to cool somewhat even as other teams seemed more enthusiastic.

Derek Cox, formerly of Jacksonville, is also on the Miami radar. He fits Miami's desire for a big cornerback more than Grimes. He's 6-1. He's aggressive. He makes plays as his four interceptions in 12 games during 2012 attests. He has an injury history the past two years, but he finished strong last year. He's another one I like more than Smith.

[BLOG NOTE: Tuesday was the greatest single day for unique visitors and total page views in the seven-year history of my blog. I had as many visitors yesterday as I normally get in a week. But don't stop now. There will be lots of stuff going on today, so check back regularly for updates.]

 

Ireland happy, cap in good shape, more moves coming

Jeff Ireland landed the one that could not get away. He landed Mike Wallace.

So how does the Dolphins general manager feel about that?

He's pleased.

"We are pleased to reach an agreement with Mike Wallace," Ireland said in a statement. "He has a unique skill set which we believe will be a welcomed addition to our offense. We are looking forward to his contributions to the team."

The Dolphins just announced the Wallace signing because it took a while to hammer out some final language on the deal and get it approved by the league. The team also had to wait for Wallace to take a physical.

The Dolphins also made official the one-year contract for safety Chris Clemons. The club did not make official the signing of Phillip Wheeler as he was flying across country to South Florida this evening or Dannell Ellerbe, who also was flying into town.

"We are also happy to announce an extension with Chris," Ireland added. "He has been a valuable contributor to the team the last four years, and we are glad he will remain a member of the Miami Dolphins."

Valuable but not invaluable. The Dolphins have shown that they're willing to stick with Clemons as the short-term answer at safety. But they are not ready to make a multi-year commitment. He needs to play better for that.

Meanwhile, all the day's activity will leave the Dolphins with approximately $20 million in salary cap space. That is not all available.

The team will budget approximately $6 million for the draft, another $3.2 million for the practice squad and another $2 million for emergency moves during the season. Obviously this is an in-season budget and not the Top 51 cap figure.

The Dolphins can create cap space by cutting players -- as they did today with Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett.

(Example: In replacing Burnett with Phillip Wheeler, the club saved $800,000 in cap space. That is, Burnett's cap savings of $3.2 million (including $2.5 million of dead money) minus the $2.4 million cap charge Wheeler will carry this year.)

Possible future cap casualties include Dimitri Patterson ($4.6 million savings), Richard Marshall ($2.2 million savings), Davone Bess ($2.6 million savings) and Dan Carpenter ($2.6 million savings).

I'm not saying the Dolphins will release those player for cap reasons. I am saying they are all candidates if the team needs cap room.

Dolphins reworking practically entire LB corps

The Dolphins have just come to contract agreement with free agent linebacker Phillip Wheeler, according to profootballtalk.com, on a five-year deal worth $26 million.

That is starter money.

And now Kevin Burnett's days with the Dolphins are numbered.

[Update: Burnett has been told he will be released according to Jim Trotter of Sports Illustrated.]

First things first:

Wheeler is 28 years old and coming off his finest NFL season. He started 16 games with the Raiders and had 109 combined tackles with three sacks, and two forced fumbles. He had six passes defensed.

That playmaking, plus his reported $13 million in guaranteed money means the Dolphins' vision for the player is as a starter.

So, Burnett is at risk. Yes, he was the second-leading tackler on the team. But the Dolphins are cutting leading tackler Karlos Dansby so that doesn't mean anything.

This does:

The Dolphins want more game-defining play and quicker linebacker play on defense. Dannell Ellerbe, who agreed to a deal earlier today, brings that. The Dolphins seem to think Wheeler does also.

Burnett, signed in 2011 as an unrestricted free agent, contributed similar numbers for the Dolphins to what Wheeler gave the Raiders. But he's going to be 31 years old during next season. And he is scheduled to cost the Dolphins $5.7 million against the cap.

If the Dolphins decide that's too steep for a player on the wrong side of 30, they can cut him and save $3.2 million in cap space. Considering that Burnett will also cost $7 million against the cap next year, the signing of a younger player seems visionary.

There remains a chance the Dolphins simply want to add Wheeler, along with Ellerbe and keep Burnett. That thus replaces Koa Misi in the starting lineup. Misi could be headed to defensive end.

But the more likely scenario is that Burnett should be sweating.

Dolphins to cut Karlos Dansby

The Miami Dolphins are parting ways with middle linebacker Karlos Dansby, according to a club source.

The team informed agent Todd France that his client would be waived this afternoon. The move to sign younger, cheaper Dannell Ellerbe from the Baltimore Ravens led to this move.

I explained the salary cap ramifications of this move in the last post.

But what you have to know is te team saved $3.9 million in cap space by cutting Dansby. The Dolphins apparently gauged interest in Dansby on the trade market but there was none of note.

By the way, aside from being a cap move, the reason Dansby is gone is his play didn't produce the kind of game-changing plays the Dolphins wanted or expected when he came to the team in 2010 as an unrestricted free agent addition.

In addition, Dansby irked head coach Joe Philbin on a couple of occassions  by openly criticizing the team's handling of the Chad Johnson cut and also by announcing he was playing with a torn biceps muscle after the Dolphins asked him not to speak about the injury.

Philbin discussed the issues with Dansby but it apparently left the coach at least wondering if Dansby was a fit.

If Dansby has been a better player, the issues with Philbin might have been forgotten. He wasn't so they were amplified.

Dansby, 31, led the Dolphins with 133 tackles. He had nine tackles for loss but he neither caused nor recovered any fumbles and did not intercept any passes.

This move takes into account the player Dansby is today, but also next year when he'll be 32 years old and costing $11.575 million against the cap.

Instead the Dolphins will carry $4.6 million in dead money for cutting Dansby this year and another $2.3 million in dead money next year.

 

Dolphins reach agreement with Dannell Ellerbe ... good-bye Karlos Dansby

The Dolphins have added up-and-coming linebacker Dannell Ellerbe to the fold, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun and that raises interesting questions for the Dolphins.

Terms of the deal have not been announced but it is unlikely Ellerbe agreed to a deal that would make him a backup.

[Update: I'm told the deal is for five years and $34.75 million. That is starter money.]

So yes, it is good the team is adding younger, faster, players with playmaking potential.

But ... The Dolphins have a solid linebacker corps in Karlos Dansby, Kevin Burnett and Koa Misi.

So is one of them on the outs?

Salguero answer: You betcha!

It won't be Misi. Even if the team moves him to defensive end he remains on the team.

The same would not be said if the Dolphins plan to play Ellerbe in the middle of their defense, which is where he made his mark with Baltimore.

Ellerbe had 92 tackles and 4.5 sacks for the Ravens in 2012. He's only 27 years old.

That seems to make Dansby expendable if the Dolphins wish to save money as well as cap space. Dansby is scheduled to cost Miami $8.575 million in cap space in 2013. If the club cuts him, it can save $6.05 million in cash and $3.925 million in cap space.

The club would also save $9 million in cash next year because that is what Dansby would be scheduled to make in base salary. Dansby's cap number in 2014 is scheduled to be $11.575 million.

The Dolphins might also ask Dansby to take a paycut, but that's also doubtful.

Yikes.

If Dansby, 31, is on the outs, it shows the dangers of unrestricted free agency. He came to the Dolphins in 2010 as the savior of the defense. He came the same year that Brandon Marshall came as the savior of the offense.

Marshall has since been traded. Dansby might be on the outs.

I suppose the Dolphins could decide Burnett is expendable in favor of Ellerbe. This is less likely because Ellerbe doesn't play strongside linebacker. But this also lead to a cap savings. If the Dolphins dump Burnett, they would save $3.2 million against the cap and $4.35 million in actual cash this year.

Again, this is the lesser likelihood.

It is possible the Dolphins are trying to get younger, cheaper and have someone that made plays for the Ravens last year when pressed into service.

 

Mike Wallace is a Miami Dolphin

MIke Wallace and the Dolphins have agreed to a five-year contract that will pay him between $60 and $65 million if he meets all its incentives.

The contract includes a substantial amount of guaranteed money. Although that figure is not yet known, it will be approximately $30 million.

Wallace will be the third-highest paid wide receiver in the NFL behind Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald, according to a person familiar with the deal.

The contract is not yet signed. Indeed, the Dolphins are privately denying that it is done. But Wallace is in South Florida and taking a physical and could sign the deal if he passes, as expected. He will sign the deal this evening.

The Dolphins have been making press conference plans but that will likely happen Wednesday.

Wallace is the deep-threat receiver the Dolphins have lacked since Jeff Ireland became the general manager. Frankly, the Dolphins haven't had a similar deep-threat weapon since Irving Fryar played for the team in the mid 1990s.

The Dolphins are not finished revamping their offense, and specifically their passing game.

The club is deep into negotiation for bringing former Tennessee tight end Jared Cook to the team. Cook is the seam-threat player the team wanted but could get from Michael Egnew and Charles Clay.

Cook, however, is also negotiating with the St. Louis Rams.

Interestingly, Rams free agent wide receiver Brandon Gibson remains an option in Miami, particularly if Cook does not sign. The Herald's Adam Beasley is reporting Gibson will visit the New York Jets.

Free agency kicks off and Wallace has the ball

The so-called free agency War Room at the Dolphins training facility has been buzzing much of the day, according to a source who has seen the activity. And much of the buzz and anticipation has been surrounding the Dolphins making a fast and bold dive into free agency by landing you know who.

Mike Wallace.

Barring a major upset that the Dolphins are not expecting but still not 100 percent certain cannot happen at the last moment, the club expects to land the Pittsburgh Steelers free agent wide receiver by Wednesday the latest.

There has been contact between the Dolphins and Wallace for days.

That contact is supposed to be bear fruit starting now.

The Dolphins and Wallace's representative have been talking about a $5-year deal throughout that time. The deal will likely reach $60 million. Wallace wants more. Guaranteed money is an issue.

Wallace wants $30 million in guaranteed money per source familiar with the talks.

No, this is quite done yet.

Stay here for updates.

[UDPATE: Reggie Bush's departure from the Dolphins has begun with him setting up visits. First visit will be Detroit. I'd be surprised if it doesn't get done there, but there is also a chance he could visit Arizona. Bush already knows he will get somewhere north of $3 million per season.]

[UPDATE: The Dolphins are juggling as they are showing interest in Titans TE Jared Cook. The Titans have moved on from Cook as they are expecting to sign San Francisco's Delanie Walker. Cook will be expensive.]

[UPDATE: TE Anthony Fasano has agreed to a four-year contract in principle with the Kansas City Chiefs, according to ESPN. I'm happy for him because that'll be a good upgrade for the Chiefs and it means the Dolphins will be upgrading, or at least making moves to upgrade that position.]

[UPDATE: Chris Clemons is signing a one-year deal with the Dolphins, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus.]

[UPDATE: Left tackle Jake Long will visit the St. Louis Rams, according to ESPN and NFL.com]

[UPDATE: Dolphins showed interest in Rashard Mendenhall but that has cooled a bit. He's already setting up visits with other teams ahead of Miami.]

What Wallace brings and what that's worth

So what is Mike Wallace worth to the Dolphins?

That's a question the Dolphins have been trying to answer for weeks since they identified Wallace as first a possible, then a likely, then a full-fledged must-have addition to the team.

We'll have an answer within 24-48 hours as free agency kicks off at 4 p.m. this afternoon and that signals the mad dash to get Burnell Michael Wallace II to put his name on a Miami Dolphins contract.

The deal is not done, contrary to a report yesterday. Indeed, after that "report" reared its head, I texted multiple team sources to see if it was true. "LOL the media," is one answer I got, which made fun of the report and reporter.

But if (I emphasize if because nothing is done until it is done) the Dolphins do land Wallace, what are they likely to pay and what are they likely to get for the price?

Let's start with performance. Remember that Nick Saban was fond of saying that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. And the best predictor of future production is past production.

In the last two seasons, Mike Wallace has provided the Pittsburgh Steelers an average of 68 catches per season for 1,014 yards and eight touchdowns.

Unimpressed are you?

Well, consider that the Dolphins as a team threw 13 touchdowns passes in 2012 and suddenly those eight TDs per year from Wallace are looking mighty valuable.

Now, how did Wallace come by those numbers?

There is a theory afoot that Wallace benefitted greatly from the fact Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is a champion of keeping plays alive and thus giving Wallace more time to get deep, get open and get the ball for explosive scores.

There is, admittedly, something to that. There's no denying Roethlisberger had something to do with Wallace's success and if the wide receiver's next quarterback doesn't play as well as Roethlisberger has, Wallace's statistics are likely to decline.

But ...

Notice that Wallace averaged eight touchdowns the past two seasons and averaged eight touchdowns over his career, as well. The player is nothing if not consistent in that regard. And that must therefore take into account that Roethlisberger missed games last year and Wallace still produced.

I also must point out that the Steelers' offensive line has been leaking sacks and hurries the last couple of years. That team has been unable to produce either a consistent running game or been exceedingly good in pass protection. So yes, Roethlisberger is a magician keeping plays alive but that's because he has to be.

A less magical quarterback with a solid offensive line providing decent time to throw can accomplish the same results, assuming the QB has good vision downfield and is accurate.

So production is not, or should not be a question mark for this prospective free agent wide receiver.

That begs the question how high will the market allow Wallace's price to go?

Remember that Dwayne Bowe recently signed a five-year, $56 million deal with $20 million guaranteed. That averages $11.2 million per season and surpasses the five-year, $55 million deal Vincent Jackson signed last year with Tampa Bay on a yearly average basis. Jackson's deal averages out to $11 million per season.

But's it's not just the overall money and average that are important. Indeed, the guaranteed money is the key.

Jackson received $26 million in guaranteed money. I believe that is the figure Wallace wants to beat along with the per year average.

I would expect Mike Wallace will get a five-year deal from whatever team he signs with and he'll be shooting for $12 million per season, as I've reported before. Depending on whether there is competition or not for Wallace will determine if Wallace hits that $12 million per year but he will certainly reach at least $11.5 million per year.

And that $57.5 to $60 million contract must come with between $27 to $30 million in guaranteed money.

Whopping numbers, to be sure.

But, barring new factors being uncovered between now and 4 p.m., that's going to be the cost of adding 8 TDs and 1,014 yards to Miami's passing offense. That's going to be the vicinity for signing Mike Wallace.

Smith, Long not necessarily gone from Dolphins

The assumption relative to the Dolphins and free agency is that Mike Wallace will be coming and several players will be leaving. Well, that might not be fully the case.

Prospective free agent cornerback Sean Smith isn't a certainty to leave, a league source tells The Herald's Adam Beasley. And prospective free agent left tackle Jake Long isn't a certainty to leave, a league source tells me.

Meanwhile, you know I've reported Reggie Bush is pretty much gone and that is still the expected course.

[Update: Detroit is interested and the Bengals may join the fray, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.]

So let's retrace:

Agent David Canter, who represents Smith, is said to be negotiating with multiple teams. And as the last time Canter was juggling teams his client Paul Soliai picked a return to the Dolphins for less money -- even as Canter had him set to get on a plane to visit another team -- it opens the door that Smith is still in play -- particularly since a source is saying as much.

For Long, the Dolphins want him back. But they don't want to back the Brinks truck to his front lawn. And Long wants that Brinks truck visit. So the market will  determine his worth. If the market for Long is as cold as has been reported in some sectors, including profootballtalk.com, then the Dolphins will be in the hunt.

[Update: Tampa Bay is among the teams interested in Smith.]

If the market for Long is as rich as he hopes and believes, then he's likely gone because the Dolphins will be outbid for a player with an injury history the past two seasons.

The answers will likely come quickly starting at 4 p.m. Tuesday.