Category: Dolphins News and Notes

Former Dolphins CB Xavien Howard explains what it was like to play for Brian Flores

Former Dolphins CB shares what it was like to play for the team’s former HC.

For the first time in his NFL career, former Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard is a free agent and is looking for a new team to spend at least the next year with.

Howard, 30, played eight seasons for the Dolphins, making two All-Pro teams and four Pro Bowls during his time in aqua and orange. He’s also recorded the second-most interceptions in the league since he was drafted in 2016.

The former Baylor Bear did all of that despite playing for three different head coaches – Adam Gase, Brian Flores and Mike McDaniel.

Flores’ reign (2019-21) ended with some fireworks, as a lawsuit was filed against the team and the league citing discrimination which also led to the Dolphins losing multiple draft picks.

And, while there’s been much said about his attitude and relationships with his players and staff, Howard, who was in Miami for Flores’ entire tenure, recently called him a player’s coach.

“Brian Flores was like that,” Howard said on “The OGs” podcast. “He gets all of the this and that in the media, but he was a player’s coach guy. It was like, he came from the Patriots, so he’s seen greatness from the G.O.A.T. It’s his standard how he holds guys around, our team, the Dolphins at the time, he held everybody to a standard. Me and Flores probably weren’t buddy-buddy, this and that, but I respect him. How he came in there every day. He approached every day the same way. It doesn’t matter who you are, he’s going to chew your ass out if you aren’t doing something right. He isn’t going to dap you out if you’re doing something right. You’re supposed to do that.”

Flores spent the first 15 seasons of his career in professional football working for the New England Patriots under then-head coach Bill Belichick. There’s been a long list of former Patriots coaches who have gone elsewhere and have had their personalities clash with those around them.

This past season, Flores served as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings and is set to return to the position in 2024. And, this offseason, he recruited one of his former Dolphins, linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, to join him in purple and gold. Could Howard’s comments hint at him doing the same in the near future?

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Analyzing the terms of new Dolphins S Jordan Poyer’s contract

Here’s what new Dolphins S Jordan Poyer’s contract looks like.

The Miami Dolphins needed to add to the backend of their defense this offseason with both DeShon Elliott and Brandon Jones hitting free agency and eventually signing with new teams.

Miami acquired some help for new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver’s secondary when they signed safety Jordan Poyer.

Poyer, 33, agreed to a one-year deal worth $2 million to join the Dolphins after spending the first 12 years of his career split between the Philadelphia Eagles (2013), Cleveland Browns (2013-16) and Buffalo Bills (2017-23).

According to Over the Cap, Poyer will receive a $1.25 million base salary ($500,000 guaranteed). The deal also includes a $500,000 signing bonus and $250,000 in per-game roster bonuses. His cap hit for 2024 is set to be $1.99 million.

While Poyer is almost certainly in the team’s plans for the 2024 season, this contract doesn’t totally guarantee him a spot on the roster in September. If Miami were to cut the safety before the season starts, they’d save $985,294 while incurring a dead-cap hit of $1 million.

As long as the former Bill hasn’t fallen off of the proverbial cliff, he should be one of the main pieces in the Dolphins’ secondary alongside Jevon Holland and Jalen Ramsey.

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Breaking down the terms of Dolphins OL Robert Jones’ new contract

Here’s what Dolphins OL Robert Jones’ new contract looks like.

With a number of offensive linemen hitting the market from their 2023 roster, the Miami Dolphins went into the offseason knowing that they had to address the position by either re-signing their own guys or finding some capable veterans.

One move that general manager Chris Grier made before free agency was bringing back versatile offensive lineman Robert Jones.

Jones, 25, agreed to a one-year deal worth $2 million to rejoin the Dolphins for his fourth season with the team.

According to Over the Cap, he will receive a $1.1 million base salary ($700,000), a $500,000 signing bonus, $350,000 in per-game roster bonuses and another $50,000 in a workout bonus. He’ll count for  $1.84 million against the cap in 2024.

This contract makes it pretty likely that Jones will be on the roster when the season kicks off, as his release would save just $635,294 while incurring a dead-cap hit of $1.2 million.

At the moment, there seems to be an open competition for both guard spots in South Florida between Jones, Isaiah Wynn, Lester Cotton, Liam Eichenberg, Jack Driscoll and Chasen Hines.

Jones currently has the most NFL experience at guard with 874 snaps at the position. However, even if he doesn’t end up starting, his ability to play both guard and tackle makes him valuable as a backup.

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Best photos of new Dolphins S Jordan Poyer

Best photos of new Dolphins S Jordan Poyer.

The Miami Dolphins had two of their top three safeties hit the market this offseason, so they needed to add at least one to fill a starting spot for the 2024 season, and they found Jordan Poyer.

Poyer joins the Dolphins after playing collegiately for Oregon State and professionally for the Philadelphia Eagles (2013), Cleveland Browns (2013-2016) and Buffalo Bills (2017-23), making First-team All-Pro in 2021 and the Pro Bowl in 2022.

As Dolphins fans familiarize themselves with the team’s newest edge rusher, we’ve put together a gallery of photos from his time in Buffalo, Cleveland and Philadelphia.

Take a look:

ESPN lists AFC West team as best fit for former Dolphins CB Xavien Howard

ESPN gives best fit for former Dolphins CB Xavien Howard.

Just over a week ago, the Miami Dolphins officially released cornerback Xavien Howard, ending his eight-year tenure in aqua and orange.

During his time in South Florida, Howard was one of the most successful cornerbacks in the NFL, recording more interceptions than all but one player since he entered the league (former Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons, who is also a free agent, has one more interception in 18 more games).

Now, as Howard looks for his next opportunity, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell lists the Kansas City Chiefs as the best fit for the cornerback’s services this offseason.

Here’s what Barnwell had to say:

“I keep coming back to the Chiefs, who typically prefer younger cornerbacks but have a habit of signing overlooked playmakers in that spot. Howard’s ability to hold up in man coverage and create takeaways are skills that should appeal to them. This is less of a fit if L’Jarius Sneed comes back for 2024, but if the Chiefs trade their franchise-tagged cornerback, Howard could be one of the additions general manager Brett Veach makes to replace his top coverage guy from last season.”

Howard may not be playing his best football as he enters his age-30 season, but he can still be a difference-maker for the defending champions who are looking to become the first team to win three Super Bowls in a row.

Analyzing the terms of new Dolphins OL Aaron Brewer’s contract

Here’s what new Dolphins OL Aaron Brewer’s contract looks like.

The Miami Dolphins have signed many free agents already this offseason to fill some of the biggest holes on their roster heading into the 2024 season, including offensive lineman Aaron Brewer.

Brewer, 26, agreed to a three-year deal (with two void years tacked on the end) worth $21 million to join the Dolphins after spending his first four seasons with the Tennessee Titans.

According to Over the Cap, Brewer will receive base salaries of $1.13 million in 2024, $6.47 million in 2025 and $6.47 million in 2026. The deal also includes a $5.59 million signing bonus (prorated at $1.12 million each year), $1.28 million in per-game roster bonuses ($260,000 in 2024, $510,000 in 2025) and $75,000 in workout bonuses ($25,000 each year).

His cap hits are currently set to be $ 2.53 million in 2024, $8.12 million in 2025 and 2026 and $2.24 million in 2027.

Brewer’s contract is set to void at the end of the 2026 season, meaning that if, at that point, the team doesn’t extend him, they’ll have a $2.24 million dead-cap hit in 2027.

At this point, he appears to be the team’s starting center, but there’s a chance he could move back to guard if the team finds a more suitable option to man the middle of the line.

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Missouri man charged with stealing Dolphins’ equipment

Missouri man charged with stealing equipment from the Dolphins during their playoff game against the Chiefs.

After the Miami Dolphins were eliminated from the playoffs by the Kansas City Chiefs, they had more losses to worry about than just the result on the field at Arrowhead Stadium.

According to court documents, Missouri police officers responded to a theft the day after the Jan. 13 game. Representatives from the Dolphins said a team truck that held both gear and equipment was broken into and items worth more than $45,000 were missing.

On Wednesday, two months after the contest, Jackson County prosecutors charged Joseph Brown Sr. with felony theft.

The documents claim that media equipment, football equipment (including pads, gloves and shoes) and game film, along with other items, were taken.

Brown had previously been convicted of felony theft in 2021, according to court documents. His bond was set at $50,000.

Breaking down the terms of new Dolphins CB Siran Neal’s contract

Here’s what new Dolphins CB Siran Neal’s contract looks like.

The Miami Dolphins have signed a number of free agents this offseason to fill multiple holes on their roster heading into the 2024 season, including cornerback Siran Neal, who will likely be a core special teamer for Danny Crossman’s unit.

Neal, 29, agreed to a one-year deal worth $1.95 million to join the Dolphins after spending his first six seasons with the Buffalo Bills.

According to Over the Cap, Neal will receive a $1.13 million base salary ($300,000 guaranteed) and a $350,000 bonus at signing. The contract also has $475,000 in per-game roster bonuses. His cap number for the 2024 season is $1.95 million.

While Neal has been one of the most successful special teamers in the NFL since entering the league back in 2018, this contract doesn’t really guarantee that he’ll be on the roster when the season rolls around. If Miami were to cut Neal, they’d save $1.3 million while incurring a dead-cap hit of just $650,000.

At this point, however, the Dolphins need that help in the third unit of the game, and anything Neal could provide on defense would be a bonus.

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Best photos of new Dolphins LB Shaq Barrett

Best photos of new Dolphins LB Shaq Barrett.

The Miami Dolphins entered the offseason with a hole on the edge due to Andrew Van Ginkel’s impending departure (eventually signing with the Minnesota Vikings) and the duo of Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb recovering from injuries that ended their 2023 season earlier.

To fill that need, Miami signed veteran outside linebacker Shaq Barrett, who landed with the aqua and orange after playing collegiately at Omaha (2010) and Colorado State (2011-13) before becoming a Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion for the Denver Broncos (2014-16) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2019-23).

As Dolphins fans familiarize themselves with the team’s newest edge rusher, we’ve put together a gallery of photos from his time in Denver and Tampa Bay.

Take a look:

LB Shaq Barrett shares why he signed with the Dolphins

Why Shaq Barrett signed with the Dolphins.

The Miami Dolphins needed to sign an impact free agent on the edge with Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb recovering from season-ending injuries and Andrew Van Ginkel hitting the market (and eventually signing with the Minnesota Vikings).

General manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel may have found exactly the guy to fill in as a starter at the beginning of the season and become a rotational piece as Phillips and Chubb return when they signed Shaq Barrett.

Barrett had 59 career sacks during his time with the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including one season that he led the league in the statistic, recording 19.5 in 2019. He’s also made two Pro Bowls and helped both Denver and Tampa Bay win Super Bowls during his nine-year career.

What is it about the Dolphins that attracted the 31-year-old?

“The team that they have here, the potential to get the job done, to go on a run and be hoisting the trophy at the end of the year,” Barrett told members of the South Florida media in his introductory availability. “And then the group of guys that they’ve got in the outside linebacker room is a great group of guys. I would love to be a part of that and I know they’re hurting and nursing injuries right now, so my role may be just to hold it down until they come back and then become a well-oiled machine when everyone gets back. I’m just ready for whatever my role is and just to help take this team and defense to the next level.”

Grier and McDaniel have put together a competitive roster full of talented players, and while they lost quite a bit this offseason in free agency, they’ve been able to fill some holes with veterans on inexpensive, short-term deals to try and capitalize on this window.

If they can’t do it now, the team may have to do a full reset in the near future, but they’re hoping it’s additions like Barrett’s that can take them to the next level.