Common sense prevails once again for the Miami Dolphins — and hopefully soon your timeline will start to follow suit

The Miami Dolphins were never going to sign David Njoku if you’ve been paying attention this offseason. And so…they didn’t.

Kyle Crabbs — NFL National Writer
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Dec 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) walks off the field after the game against the Tennessee Titans at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Oh no! Another player that the Miami Dolphins were never going to sign has signed elsewhere! Again!

This has become a good bit throughout the course of the offseason. The Miami Dolphins have developed a reputation for spending in free agency and firing off after splash signings. It’s become deserved based on the “big fish” approach in recent history. But then this offseason, amid a total change in philosophy and an extreme adjustment in roster & cap construction…it continued. So please forgive me for my lack of angst with the NFL’s latest signing elsewhere, even as he was a player that some tried to tie to the Dolphins.

David Njoku signs with Chargers amid latest reminder the Miami Dolphins are, indeed, still getting younger and cheaper

Dec 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) walks off the field after the game against the Tennessee Titans at Huntington Bank Field.
Dec 7, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (85) walks off the field after the game against the Tennessee Titans at Huntington Bank Field.Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Njoku was tabbed as a potential fit for the Dolphins by some this spring. I’m not sure why, but I digress. He officially has a new team, the Los Angeles Chargers. And with a contract value that’s worth up to $8 million in total value, let’s be honest. It was never going to happen with the Dolphins. Miami is trying to get:

  1. Younger
  2. Cheaper

David Njoku is neither. And yet in mid-April, at least one prediction market had the Miami Dolphins with Njoku’s second-best odds. Neither was wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who Miami had interest in but would have needed a total collapse of his market to even get into the upper levels of the conversation. It’s an unfortunate reality of where the team is at for 2026.

60% of their salary cap obligations this season belong to players no longer on the roster. $8 million for a soon-to-be 30 year old tight end 11 missed games in the last two seasons was not on the menu.

The Dolphins current reality of no cap space will change in a few weeks when June 1st rolls around. But even then, don’t fall into the trap of thinking Miami is opening up the wallet this offseason. Jon-Eric Sullivan, who has been candid at every turn this offseason, has said the team won’t spend big. They need to get back into a healthy standing against the salary cap. And they need to get younger. Just bear it in mind when the inevitable “AJ Brown/Dolphins” rumor pops up on a random slop account near you.

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