Latest NFL trade report of two-time Pro Bowler should not pique the interest of the Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins simply need to get better along both sides of the line of scrimmage this offseason. Miami needs two starting guards and has uncertainty at the left tackle position with Terron Armstead's status unknown for 2025. On the other side of the ball, standout defensive tackle Zach Sieler needs plenty of help around […]
The Miami Dolphins simply need to get better along both sides of the line of scrimmage this offseason. Miami needs two starting guards and has uncertainty at the left tackle position with Terron Armstead's status unknown for 2025.
On the other side of the ball, standout defensive tackle Zach Sieler needs plenty of help around him, which is something general manager Chris Grier should be looking for.
One such player who would be an upgrade in the middle of the Dolphins' defensive line is Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. Per Ian Rapoport, the Commanders are willing to help their star defender find a new home.
Allen, in a vacuum, would be a true asset for the vast majority of the teams in the league. The Dolphins would certainly be among them. Allen earned Pro Bowl trips in 2021 and 2022 and has been a disruptive force in the middle of Washington's defense.
However, the league doesn't operate in a vacuum. The salary cap and the constant demand for big deals is something every general manager has to weigh, and here, it doesn't make sense for the Dolphins, who sit at a little over $1.5 million in cap space with plenty of holes to fill and a draft class still to sign.
Allen is in the final year of his contract, where he's due $15 million, so he's going to surely be looking for a new deal wherever he ends up, which could end up not far off from the neighborhood of the 4-year, $72 million one he signed in 2021. Not to mention you're giving up draft capital and paying a higher salary to a player in this situation. Not exactly a win-win.
The Dolphins could pay a fraction of whatever that amount is by taking a defensive tackle on the first or second day of the draft who could slot in and start immediately. They could also address it with veterans on a less expensive short-term deal, which could include bringing back one or more of Calais Campbell, Benito Jones, and/or Da'Shawn Hand. Campbell was a revelation last year for Miami's defense.
Regardless, Allen, while a productive player, doesn't seem to fit as well into the Dolphins as they currently stand, given the other avenues the franchise can go and the needs they have on both sides of the ball.
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