Tag: dolphins news

Dolphins block Shaq Barrett from unretiring in 2024

The Dolphins have blocked Shaq Barrett from unretiring this season.

Earlier this week, the agents for Shaq Barrett announced that the pass rusher had applied to be reinstated into the NFL.

Four months after announcing his retirement in July, Barrett wanted to unretire and return to the league. Because he signed a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins this spring, they controlled his rights for the 2024 season.

The Dolphins had until Thursday afternoon to activate Barrett from the reserve/retired list. Miami opted not to activate Barrett and they did not release him, preventing any other team from signing the pass rusher.

Barrett has now been blocked from playing in 2024 and his contract will toll until next year. So if the pass rusher wants to play in 2025, he will be under contract with the Dolphins.

Barrett started his career for the Denver Broncos, where he spent the first five years of his career as a rotational pass rusher. The 32-year-old edge defender has two Super Bowl titles (one with the Broncos and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and 59 career sacks on his resume.

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Broncos Super Bowl champion plans to unretire, return to NFL

Shaq Barrett has applied to be reinstated. He’s unretiring and wants to play again.

Story update: The Dolphins opted to not activate Shaq Barrett from the reserve/retired list, so he can’t return to the NFL this season. See our original post below.

Four months after announcing his retirement from the NFL in July, pass rusher Shaq Barrett now plans to return to the league.

Barrett, 32, has applied to be reinstated, according to multiple reports sourced to the player’s agents, Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey. Assuming the NFL grants Barrett’s reinstatement, he could be back on the field soon.

The Miami Dolphins signed Barrett to a one-year contract in March, so they still hold his rights. If he returns this season, Barrett will be a Dolphin.

The veteran pass rusher entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State with the Denver Broncos in 2014. He spent five years with the Broncos and helped the team win Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season.

When Barrett became a free agent in 2019, Denver had Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, so the team let Barrett walk. He ended up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won a second title with a Super Bowl LV victory following the 2020 season.

A two-time Pro Bowler, Barrett has totaled 125 quarterback hits and 59 sacks in his career. He last played 16 games with the Bucs in 2023.

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ESPN suggests 49ers trade with Dolphins for running back help

An interesting idea…

As the 2024 season shakes out, it’s beginning to appear more like a ‘when’ than an ‘if’ the San Francisco 49ers will make a trade to try and improve their roster.

With the trade deadline approaching on Nov. 5, and the 49ers scuffling while dealing with a handful of injuries, there are a ton of routes the club can take to helping its roster.

We highlighted the No. 1 position they need to address, but that’s not what they go after in a piece from ESPN’s Bill Barnwell that includes 12 trades he’d like to see before the deadline.

Instead of addressing a couple of weak spots in their defense, Barnwell would have the 49ers deal a 2025 sixth-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for running back Jeff Wilson Jr. This is something the Athletic’s Matt Barrows has also discussed.

Running back help for the price a sixth-round pick could make a ton of sense for San Francisco.

When Christian McCaffrey returns is still a question mark, and how healthy he’ll be able to stay once he is back is also a concern. Having depth behind him and Wilson may be valuable down the stretch to help insulate them from injury.

Jordan Mason is also seeing a boatload of carries early in the season thanks in part to the 49ers not having a ton of faith in rookie Isaac Guerendo or veteran fourth-stringer Patrick Taylor. If McCaffrey doesn’t return, having a more solidified backup for Mason would be helpful.

Perhaps the best part of this trade for the 49ers is that it wouldn’t likely hamstring them from a larger deal addressing a bigger need or two ahead of the deadline.

Wilson was an undrafted rookie signing by the 49ers after the 2018 draft. He spent his first four-and-a-half seasons with San Francisco before joining the Dolphins in a trade he requested after the 49ers acquired McCaffrey in a trade.

In seven seasons Wilson has 2,353 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns on 523 carries. He’s averaging 4.5 yards per carry in his career, including 4.8 in 2020 and 5.1 before the trade in 2022.

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What Tua Tagovailoa contract means for 49ers, Brock Purdy

The Tua Tagovailoa contract sets a new, non-market setting benchmark for 49ers and Brock Purdy.

Every new quarterback contract that is signed between July and next offseason will be of at least some interest to the 49ers and QB Brock Purdy. The latest deal was reported Friday afternoon between the Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa. Miami inked their QB to a four-year extension worth $212.4 million and $167 million guaranteed per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

While this is a massive deal that Purdy’s camp will surely have circled entering negotiations after the 2025 season, it’s not one that completely reset the market which sets a good precedent for the 49ers.

The structure of the deal hasn’t come out yet, but let’s roll with just the average annual value and guarantees for now.

Tagovailoa’s average annual value of $53.1 million comes in just ahead of Lions QB Jared Goff for the third-highest AAV in the league. Trevor Lawrence of the Jaguars and Joe Burrow of the Bengals both pace the position in that category at $55 million.

His $167 million is the highest non-fully guaranteed mark among quarterbacks.

Purdy’s contract will surely come in ahead of Tagovailoa’s number. What’s important for the 49ers is that the Dolphins’ QB didn’t completely reset the market. There’s been speculation that Purdy would be earning upwards of $60 million on his next deal. Tagovailoa’s deal is an indication that won’t necessarily be the case.

Purdy could change that if he wins an MVP and/or a Super Bowl. That would alter the stratosphere in which he’s operating where he’d have cause to ask to be the highest-paid signal caller in the league. For now the Tagovailoa deal is overall good news for San Francisco since even a deal to reset the market would only need to come in a tick above the Lawrence and Burrow contracts from an AAV standpoint.

Next up on the QB market is Packers signal caller Jordan Love, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal and holding in while he waits for an extension from Green Bay. Cowboys signal caller Dak Prescott is also entering the final year of his contract and he may get a new deal at some point that lifts him back toward the top of the market. The 49ers will keep a close eye on those deals as well.

For now the Tagovailoa contract offers another benchmark for contracts that aren’t going to completely reset the market. That’s where the 49ers will likely want to play with Purdy. If he winds up commanding a deal in a different tier than that it means he was either an MVP or a Super Bowl winner, and that’s a bridge San Francisco would be happy to have to cross if they get to it.

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Chargers’ causes for concern vs. Dolphins

Reasons why the Dolphins could beat the Chargers in Week 1.

The Chargers open their season on Sunday with a showdown between Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa, two of the top three quarterbacks from the 2020 NFL draft.

While Herbert got the better of Tagovailoa’s Dolphins last season, there are reasons to be concerned Miami fires back this weekend.

Chargers’ reasons for optimism vs. Dolphins

Here’s why Chargers fans should be optimistic about starting the season with a 1-0 start.

The Chargers open their regular season at long last on Sunday with a home game against the Dolphins, another of the AFC’s playoff contenders.

Here’s why Bolt fans should be optimistic about a 1-0 start.

Key things to know about Chargers’ Week 1 opponent: Dolphins

Here are some important things to know about the Dolphins ahead of the Week 1 matchup with the Chargers.

The Chargers will open up the 2023 regular season at SoFi Stadium against the Dolphins on Sunday, Sept. 10 at 1:25 p.m. PT.

To get you prepped for the Week 1 bout, here are five key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the matchup.

The man under center

Tua Tagovailoa led all quarterbacks last season in several categories, including passer rating, yards per passing attempt and passing touchdown percentage, despite sustaining two concussions. To help avoid the injury scares going forward, Tagovailoa changed his diet and got into a strength training program, adding 10 pounds. Additionally, he took jiu-jitsu classes on a weekly basis to avoid harmful falls on the field.

Dynamic duo

The Dolphins have two of the NFL’s most prolific wide receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. In 2022, Hill caught a career-high 119 passes for a career-high 1,710 yards and seven touchdowns. He set an NFL record for most receiving yards recorded by a player in his first season with a new team. Conversely, Waddle led Miami last season with eight receiving touchdowns and an average of 18.1 yards per catch.

New defensive mastermind

The Dolphins’ biggest splash of the offseason was hiring defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Fangio succeeded Josh Boyer, who was fired after three seasons as Miami’s DC. Before taking the job, Fangio was recently the head coach of the Broncos (2019-21). During his three seasons, Denver had one of the top defensive units. Before being a head coach, Fangio oversaw the defenses of the Panthers (1995-98), Colts (1999-2001), Texans (2002-05), 49ers (2011-14) and the Bears (2015-18). Brandon Staley is a disciple of Fangio and his system, having spent time with him in Chicago and Denver.

Prolific pass rushers

Fangio will have a handful of weapons at his disposal, led by the edge defender tandem of Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips. When Chubb and Phillips were on the field together in 2022, the team had a 40% pressure rate against opposing quarterbacks. Chubb only finished with 2.5 sacks, which is lower than what he has compiled in previous seasons, but he dealt with a couple of injuries. On the other hand, Phillips totaled seven sacks and finished in the top ten of all edge defenders in pressures with 70.

Look out for…

Jevon Holland, a third-year safety from Oregon. Holland, a playmaker on the backend, has 165 tackles, four interceptions, four sacks and 17 passes defensed across his first two seasons. Given Holland’s versatility to play safety, corner and nickel, Fangio will use him in a lot of different roles in his two-high safety look.

Dolphins request to interview Chargers assistant secondary coach Tom Donatell

The Dolphins are looking to fill their secondary coach spot.

The Dolphins requested to interview Chargers assistant secondary coach Tom Donatell for their secondary coach position, according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero.

Son of former Vikings defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, Tom completed his second season with Los Angeles, where he assisted secondary coach Derrick Ansley.

Before joining the Chargers, Donatell coached with the Seahawks as a quality control/defense coach for four seasons (2017-20).

Donatell spent four seasons coaching at the collegiate level before joining the NFL ranks, serving as a defensive graduate assistant at the University of South Florida (2013-14) and at UCLA (2015-16).

What number will former UGA OG Solomon Kindley wear on the Dolphins?

Here is what number former Georgia football OG Solomon Kindley will wear on the Miami Dolphins.

Solomon Kindley will keep his #66 that he wore at UGA, the Miami Dolphins announced on Tuesday.

Kindley, a three-year starter at offensive guard for Georgia, was selected No. 111 overall in April’s NFL Draft by the Dolphins.

On Wednesday, the Dolphins announced the signing of Kindley as well.

Kindley was part of one of the best Georgia offensive lines in recent memory and helped lead the Bulldogs to three straight seasons of 11 wins or more.

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His fellow teammates Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson were also drafted this year. Thomas went No. 4 to the Giants and Wilson No. 29 to the Titans.

Kindley brings toughness and power at the guard position. At 6-foot-4, 340 pounds, the Jacksonville, Florida native is a force inside and is a linebacker’s nightmare when he moves to the second level.

Miami Dolphins sign former Georgia OG Solomon Kindley

The Miami Dolphins have signed former Georgia football OG Solomon Kindley, the 111th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Miami Dolphins have signed their fourth round draft selection, offensive guard Solomon Kindley.

Taken at No. 111 overall in April’s NFL Draft, Kindley signed a four-year deal that will pay him $4,079,572 in base salary and signing bonus, per the Orlando Sentinel. 

From the Orlando Sentinel:

Kindley, a three-year starter for the Bulldogs, will likely compete with Ereck Flowers, Michael Deiter, Danny Isidora, Shaq Calhoun, Adam Pankey, Keaton Sutherland and fellow rookie Robert Hunt for one of the two starting guard spots on Miami’s rebuilt offensive line.

As a freshman at Georgia, Kindley was named to the Coaches’ Freshman All-SEC Team and played in over 43 games during his collegiate career.

Kindley was part of one of the best Georgia offensive lines in recent memory and helped lead the Bulldogs to three straight seasons of 11 wins or more.

His fellow teammates Andrew Thomas and Isaiah Wilson were also drafted this year and along with Kindley.

Kindley brings toughness and power at the guard position. At 6-foot-4, 340 pounds, the Jacksonville, Florida native is a force inside and is a linebacker’s nightmare when he moves to the second level.

His signing bonus is projected to be roughly $785,000.