The Miami Dolphins turned a six figure investment into something much more valuable
The Miami Dolphins flipped WR Tutu Atwell for Los Angeles Rams RB Jarquez Hunter on Thursday.
The Miami Dolphins are wheelin’ and dealin’. New general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has been relentless in his efforts to churn this roster. The latest development on this front came on Thursday afternoon, as the Dolphins agreed to a trade with the Los Angeles Rams.
This one was the good, old fashioned ‘player-for-player’ swap variety. Wide receiver Tutu Atwell for running back Jarquez Hunter. Miami collected a second-year running back in the form of Hunter, somehow getting younger from what was already the youngest roster in football. But there’s a hidden cost to the Atwell trade. And it makes Miami’s latest trade one of my favorites yet.
The Miami Dolphins turned a $187,500 signing bonus for Tutu Atwell into a three-year, $3.36M deal for Jarquez Hunter
The Dolphins inked Tutu Atwell this offseason to a one-year deal and have now parlayed that into a three year contract with Hunter. Hunter’s current rookie contract, signed last year with the Rams, gives the Dolphins player control for the 2026, 2027, and 2028 seasons. Cumulatively, Hunter now receives $3.36 million dollars across those three seasons from Miami. In 2026, the Miami Dolphins will pay Hunter $1.005 million.
That’s not a bad development. It is, actually, quite a good bargain for the Dolphins to bring into their financial situation. Atwell who signed with a $187,500 signing bonus in March, had $1.262 million guaranteed this season and felt like a long-shot to make the team.
The Dolphins stripped the guaranteed salary. They won’t pay Atwell a dime of it. Their overhead for Atwell is simply the $187,500 signing bonus. That now gets added to the Dolphins’ monstrous pile of “dead cap” for 2026. But if you told me I could buy a three-year contract for a talented prospect, who was caught in a crowded position room; for less than $200,000?! I’d ask you where I could sign. The Dolphins found the answer and made the deal.
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