The Miami Dolphins got more than one kind of value from their 2026 extension spree
The Miami Dolphins have secured three long-term contract extensions this offseason. They present value in more ways than one.
The Miami Dolphins are fresh off their third major contract extension of the 2026 offseason. First came running back De’Von Achane, then center Aaron Brewer. And now, yesterday, linebacker Jordyn Brooks.
All three are well deserved. And all three also give us some early glimpses into what to expect under the direction of new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. Sullivan clued us in earlier this winter that he intended to work on extensions for all three players. They ended up getting all three done. But the economics behind these deals are informative amid rising salary costs across the NFL.
The Miami Dolphins got good value in more ways than one from their three big contract extensions of 2026
The annual average salary of these three major deals, all of which include a fourth year of play in 2026 as the final year of the previous contracts? Achane’s base value sits at $16 million per season as an annual average. Brooks’ new deal is reported at $17.1 million per season as an annual average. And center Aaron Brewer’s deal checks in at $17.5 million per season.
Some positional value skeptics would point to Miami paying high-market rate contracts for non-premium positions. Although, to be fair, Achane and Brewer’s new money annual average (AAV) ranks 3rd at their respective positions and Brooks’ new money AAV ranks 5th. They’re not exactly paying the premium as it.
But the other big point of value here lies in the total sum of the contracts and the contributions of the players. The combined annual average salary of these three contracts for the Miami Dolphins is $50.6 million per season. That’s $600,000 more annually than what the Houston Texans are paying for EDGE defender Will Anderson on his 3-year, $150 million extension that was signed earlier this offseason, too.
The Miami Dolphins’ value proposition
Is Anderson a better pass rusher than Brooks is a linebacker? Probably. Better at his position than Achane is a running back? I wouldn’t doubt it. And a pass rusher tilts the field more than those individual positions in a standalone argument. He’s just entering into his prime, too.
But the overall value proposition of extending these three players is that you’re getting three elite players for the price of one. Is that a bad thing? Most certainly not, especially for a team that has a bevy of questions that need answers. Holes that must be filled. So getting a number of elite players locked in at market price for the cost of what one “premium position” player would cost marks good value for the Miami Dolphins in more ways than one.
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