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Miami Dolphins News & Rumors

Tyreek Hill Aiming For New Contract

June 3rd, 2024 at 10:36am CST by Sam Robinson

JUNE 3: While speaking about Hill’s contract status with WSVN7’s Josh Moser, agent Drew Rosenhaus said he has a “fluid line of communication” with the Dolphins’ front office (video link). Justin Jefferson‘s Vikings extension has, to no surprise, moved the top of the receiver market even higher. Hill will no doubt look to take advantage of that as talks pertaining to a new deal take place.

MAY 30: The Dolphins have acted early with Jaylen Waddle, making the younger of their two 1,000-yard wide receivers the NFL’s fourth-highest-paid pass catcher. Already employing the No. 3 player on that list, the Dolphins look to have a bit of an issue on their hands.

Tyreek Hill has used the Miami portion of his career to cement his status as a surefire Hall of Famer, separating from Patrick Mahomes and thriving on his own. The historically elite speed merchant has posted back-to-back 1,700-yard seasons. While Waddle is younger, Hill has worked as the Dolphins’ clear-cut No. 1 target during his two South Florida seasons.

[RELATED: Hill Wants To Finish Career With Dolphins]

The wideout market has caught up to Hill, whose $30MM-per-year deal paced the field for more than two years. Agreed to in March 2022, Hill’s four-year, $120MM Dolphins extension included a phony final year that calls for a $43.9MM base salary — one that almost definitely will not be paid. The guarantees in Hill’s current pact run out after the 2024 season. Prior to Waddle’s $28.25MM-AAV payday, A.J. Brown and Amon-Ra St. Brown passed Hill for per-year value. Other wideouts have scored better-looking contracts since Hill’s extension, even if they did not hit the $30MM-AAV number.

Prior to St. Brown and Brown’s accords, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio indicates Hill has been pursuing a new contract. Hill approached the Dolphins about a new deal following the 2023 season, and Florio adds the ninth-year veteran’s efforts increased when the Eagles handed Brown a second extension — worth a market-setting $32MM per year. Like Hill, Brown’s previous contract was signed in spring 2022 and ran through 2026. As a rule, teams steer clear of major contract adjustments with three seasons remaining. But Hill’s camp has undoubtedly pointed to his production surpassing Brown’s.

While giving the Chiefs a downfield dimension they have lacked since making the trade, Hill eclipsed 1,300 yards in a season once in six Kansas City slates. The Davante Adams extension changed Hill’s asking price in 2022, and the Chiefs shifted from Hill extension talks to a trade and have since won two more Super Bowls without a No. 1-caliber wideout. The Dolphins have seen Hill elevate Tua Tagovailoa‘s production considerably, and no wideout’s yardage comes within 400 yards of Hill’s total (3,509) over the past two years. Granted, Justin Jefferson — the NFL’s runaway yardage leader from 2021-22 — missed much of last season due to injury. Jefferson’s Vikings negotiations also figure to motivate Hill.

As Brown could factor in more prime years into negotiations with the Eagles, Jefferson is going into his age-25 season. The Minnesota-based wideout is poised to eclipse Brown’s new AAV benchmark ($32MM) by a notable margin. Having turned 30 earlier this offseason and being signed through 2026, Hill does not stand in a similarly strong negotiating position.

Already playing two seasons on a contract that included $52.5MM fully guaranteed — still the league WR standard in that category — Hill has done well on the contract front. This is Hill’s third NFL contract; he scored the second one — a three-year, $54MM pact — shortly after the NFL did not suspend him following a child-abuse scandal that had him away from the Chiefs for several weeks. This era’s premier long-range playmaker has already earned $93MM over the course of his career.

The Dolphins, who are negotiating what stands to be a franchise-record extension with Tagovailoa, have made a longer-term commitment to Waddle. The team could move money around in Hill’s contract and/or add incentives to the deal, but with its top receiver signed for three more seasons, Miami can also stand down here. Hill’s current deal gives the team flexibility beyond 2024, though he certainly does not profile as a cut candidate following this season. It will be interesting to see how he proceeds if/once Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb, and possibly Brandon Aiyuk, secure market-shifting extensions as this offseason progresses.

11 Teams Gain Cap Space From Post-June 1 Cuts

June 2nd, 2024 at 9:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Early June no longer means a mid-offseason update to the free agent market, as teams can designate players as post-June 1 cuts months in advance of that date. But June 2 does bring an annually important date in terms of finances. This year, 11 teams will see their cap-space figures expand thanks to post-June 1 release designations. One other club — the Broncos — used a post-June 1 designation, but they will not save any money from the historic Russell Wilson release.

Teams are permitted to designate two players as post-June 1 cuts ahead of that date. This designation spreads a player’s dead money hit over two years as opposed to a 2024-only blow. Courtesy of Spotrac, here are the savings this year’s teams to make post-June 1 designations will receive:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Broncos’ overall Wilson cap hit, even with the quarterback’s $1.21MM Steelers salary factoring into the equation, will more than double any other single-player dead money number in NFL history. The now-Sean Payton-led Broncos, after a failed effort to move Wilson’s guarantee vesting date beyond 2024, will take their medicine for bailing 18 months after authorizing a five-year, $245MM extension. Denver will absorb the lion’s share of the dead money this year, taking on $53MM. The team will not receive the cap credit from Wilson’s Steelers deal until 2025, per Spotrac.

Annually making exhaustive efforts to move under the cap, the Saints will be hit with more than $30MM in total dead cap from the Thomas and Winston contracts. Redesigning both in 2023, the Saints will take on $8.9MM in 2024 dead money on Thomas and $3.4MM on the Winston pact. Mickey Loomis‘ operation is once again at the bottom of the NFL in future cap space, being projected to come in more than $84MM over the 2025 cap.

Baltimore structured Beckham’s one-year, $15MM contract to void, and the team will take on more than $10MM in total dead money on it. The bulk of that will come in 2025; the post-June 1 cut will produce $2.8MM in 2024 dead cap this year.

Dolphins, Jaylen Waddle Agree On Extension

May 30th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

10:00pm: Waddle’s 2024 and 2025 base salaries are fully guaranteed, and Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio relays the Dolphins are giving their younger 1,000-yard receiver early security for 2026. Waddle’s ’26 base salary ($16.6MM) will shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee in March 2025.

Adding to what is a player-friendly structure, the Dolphins will guarantee a sizable portion of Waddle’s 2027 base ($23.4MM) a year early too. By March 2026, $15.2MM of that ’27 salary converts from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee, Florio adds. The rest of the salary becomes fully guaranteed in March 2027. Waddle’s 2028 salary ($25.8MM) is nonguaranteed.

9:06am: The Dolphins picking up Jaylen Waddle‘s fifth-year option bought them another year on the extension front, and coming into Thursday, only one team in the fifth-year option era had extended a wide receiver with two years of rookie-contract control remaining. Miami will join Philadelphia in bucking this trend.

Waddle and the Dolphins are in agreement on a three-year deal worth $84.75MM, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This deal, which had been on Miami’s radar for a bit, will come with a whopping $76MM guaranteed. With Waddle’s option exercised, this will tie the 2021 first-rounder to the Dolphins through the 2028 season.

[RELATED: Early Extensions For First-Rounders In Fifth-Year Option Era]

In terms of average annual value, Waddle’s $28.25MM number checks in fourth at wide receiver — between the 2022 deals given to Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams. While Waddle’s deal comes in south of the pacts given to A.J. Brown and 2021 draft classmate Amon-Ra St. Brown earlier this year in terms of AAV, it includes more in total guarantees than Hill received two years ago. Waddle’s $76MM guaranteed comes in behind only Brown ($84MM) and St. Brown ($77MM). It is not yet known how much the Dolphins are guaranteeing Waddle at signing.

This breaks with trends on multiple fronts. The Eagles struck early on a deal with ex-Waddle Alabama teammate DeVonta Smith, giving the slender target a three-year, $75MM extension earlier this offseason. In the option era (2014-present), that marked the first instance of a team extending a rookie-deal wideout with two seasons of control remaining. The Dolphins are wading into deeper waters by comparison, now employing two of the NFL’s top five highest-paid wideouts in Hill and Waddle.

Illustrating the increased value of the receiver market, the Dolphins join the Eagles, Buccaneers, Bears and Texans with two $20MM-per-year WRs. Though, only Philly and Miami have two wideouts at $20MM per annum through 2026.

Hill’s $30MM-per-year agreement, the position’s top number between March 2022 and April 2024, included a lofty final-year salary to prop up the AAV. Waddle’s accord, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo, does not contain any fluff to reach the $28.25MM-per-year figure. It will now be interesting to see if the Dolphins adjust their All-Pro wideout’s deal, which runs through 2026. While Hill’s contract carries that oft-referenced $30MM-per-year average, the future Hall of Famer’s guarantees run out by 2025. And Hill has long been viewed as unlikely to play on his 2026 base salary ($43.9MM), setting up another negotiation between the parties.

As for Waddle, he has joined Smith in providing quality WR2 work in a high-octane offense. The Dolphins, who slid down nine spots to help the 49ers add Trey Lance in 2021, traded a future first-round pick to climb from No. 12 to No. 6 for Waddle in that draft. They ended up with an instant weapon, albeit one that dropped into a No. 2 role once the team acquired Hill in 2022.

Waddle, 25, has ripped off three straight 1,000-yard seasons to start his career. His 3,385 receiving yards through three seasons rank 16th in NFL history. Though, that number sits third in his own draft class — behind St. Brown and Ja’Marr Chase. Waddle is, however, the first player in Dolphins history to start a career with three straight 1,000-yard seasons.

Although Waddle missed three games last season, he had only missed one contest over his first two years. In 17 games alongside Hill in 2022, Waddle totaled 1,356 yards and eight touchdown receptions. The younger of Miami’s two elite WR speedsters led the NFL with 18.1 yards per reception that season, playing a central role in Tua Tagovailoa‘s ascent under Mike McDaniel. Waddle’s 2.73 yards per route run ranks fourth in the NFL (among wideouts with 800-plus routes run) over the past two years, per ESPN.

The Dolphins have not yet extended Tagovailoa, but they are committing to his former Crimson Tide target early. That could certainly prove wise, given where the WR market could end up by offseason’s end.

The Vikings and Cowboys face the prospect of approaching or surpassing the $35MM-per-year mark for their top wideouts — Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb — and this Waddle extension will likely impact the 49ers’ talks with fellow 2020 first-rounder Brandon Aiyuk. The Bengals have some time with Chase, but seeing as three other receivers from the 2021 draft are now signed to second contracts, the price is rising for Cincinnati.

For Miami, it will be interesting to see how the team proceeds with Tagovailoa. The talented QB’s talks, which have already produced one rejected offer, remain the centerpiece storyline in this Dolphins offseason. A re-up beyond the $50MM-plus going rate will change the equation for the Dolphins, who now have both Tagovailoa’s top weapons locked up long term. While the team acted early with Waddle, Tagovailoa is in a contract year.

The Colts are believed to have targeted Waddle in Jonathan Taylor trade talks with the Dolphins last year, but GM Chris Grier predictably shot down that ask. Less than a year later, Waddle is tied to the Dolphins for five more seasons. Dolphins’ decision with the fifth-year veteran will overshadow its other moves, though this Waddle pact continues an impactful offseason on the receiver front and will impact other teams conducting WR extension talks.

Poll: Which Team Is Chiefs’ Top AFC Threat?

May 23rd, 2024 at 9:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Representation in Super Bowls has not stretched wide in the AFC over the past decade. Since 2013, all of four franchises — the Broncos, Patriots, Chiefs and Bengals — have represented the conference in Super Bowls. The NFC in that span has produced seven Super Bowl entrants.

Since 2001, QB-driven graphics regarding Super Bowl participation primarily feature four faces — those of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Patrick Mahomes. An AFC team employing a QB outside that quartet has only reached the Super Bowl three times (2002 Raiders, 2012 Ravens, 2021 Bengals) in 24 seasons. As the NFC has rolled out 21 Super Bowl QB starters since Brady’s first appearance, it has been quite difficult for outsiders to forge a path in the AFC.

This space used to ask which team was best positioned to KO the Patriots in the AFC. The Chiefs ended up getting there, first loading up around Mahomes’ rookie contract before assembling a low-cost (but highly effective) defense to help a team suddenly limited — beyond the Mahomes-Travis Kelce connection’s enduring brilliance — following the Tyreek Hill trade. As the Chiefs aim to become the first team since the mid-1960s Packers to threepeat (part one of Green Bay’s offering occurred before the Super Bowl era), which conference challenger is best built to disrupt their path back?

The AFC North appears a good place to start. The Ravens open the season with an Arrowhead Stadium trek and held the AFC’s No. 1 seed last season. Lamar Jackson skated to MVP honors, and Mike Macdonald‘s defense led the league in scoring. But familiar issues resurfaced for the team in the AFC championship game. An oddly pass-focused Baltimore effort ground to a halt, as Jackson committed two turnovers. Macdonald has since departed — the first Ravens coordinator to leave for a head coaching job since Gary Kubiak in 2015 — and ex-Baltimore linebacker Zach Orr moved into the DC post. The team also lost three starters up front. Although quiet in free agency (in terms of outside hires) beyond the splashy Derrick Henry addition, the Ravens added likely cornerback starter Nate Wiggins in Round 1 and kept Justin Madubuike off the market via the franchise tag and a quick extension.

Cincinnati has shown superior mettle against Kansas City since Joe Burrow‘s arrival, beating the Chiefs thrice in 2022 before falling as both teams battled key injuries in the January 2023 AFC title game. The Bengals losing Burrow in November removed a key obstacle in the Chiefs’ path, but the NFL’s highest-paid player is back. The team also retained Tee Higgins, being the only team left to have a player on the tag, and added new tackles in Trent Brown and Amarius Mims to join Orlando Brown Jr. The team revamped its safety corps by bringing back Vonn Bell and adding ex-Raven Geno Stone. Not many glaring issues are present in Cincinnati’s lineup, with longer-term matters — the receiver situation chief among them — the top roster storylines here.

Creeping into the playoffs despite a host of high-profile injuries on offense, the Browns showed their roster strength by shrugging off the injuries to Deshaun Watson, Nick Chubb and their tackles. Cleveland acquired Jerry Jeudy via trade and then extended him, and other than adding some Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah supporting pieces at linebacker, returns the starters from a No. 1-ranked pass defense. Watson’s struggles, for the most part, since arriving via trade will continue to define where the Browns can venture.

Although the Bills parted with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, looking past Buffalo — a four-time reigning AFC East champion that defeated the Chiefs in three straight seasons in Kansas City — would probably be a mistake. The Bills made some cost-cutting moves, most notably disbanding its seven-year safety duo of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer (though Hyde remains in play to return), and saw concerning form from Von Miller following his second ACL tear. The Bills also lost Leonard Floyd in free agency. Focus will understandably be aimed at Buffalo’s WR crew, which now houses Curtis Samuel, second-rounder Keon Coleman and ex-Chief Marquez Valdes-Scantling (who certainly places a premium on QB talent). The Chiefs’ issues staffing their wideout spots last year provided a lingering problem; will the Bills make a higher-profile addition down the line?

With their backs to the wall, the Joe Douglas–Robert Saleh regime will count on Aaron Rodgers belatedly delivering. The duo may or may not have attempted to strip power from OC Nathaniel Hackett, who is coming off a brutal two-year stretch. The Jets effectively replaced Bryce Huff with a more proven rusher in Haason Reddick and added Mike Williams as a supporting-caster on offense. The team will hope its pair of 33-year-old tackles — Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses — holds up, while Olu Fashanu looms as a long term tackle piece and potential short-term guard. Can the Jets do enough offensively to capitalize on their defensive nucleus of the past two seasons?

The Texans sit as a fascinating piece of this puzzle, given their outlook going into the first three seasons of Nick Caserio‘s GM tenure. After low-key offseasons from 2021-23, Houston added Diggs and a few notable defenders to the DeMeco Ryans-led roster. Danielle Hunter and Denico Autry join ex-Ryans 49ers pupil Azeez Al-Shaair as key defensive additions. Although Diggs struggled down the stretch in his final Bills season, he certainly played a lead role in elevating Josh Allen‘s stature. The Texans, who have C.J. Stroud on a rookie deal through at least 2025, will hope the Pro Bowler pairs well with Nico Collins and the returning Tank Dell.

Miami and Jacksonville’s roster equations figure to change soon, as respective extension talks with Tua Tagovailoa and Trevor Lawrence are ongoing. The Dolphins have faded badly under Mike McDaniel and did not seriously threaten the Chiefs in a frigid wild-card game, though they have obviously shown elite offensive capabilities in the right environment. Handing the play-calling reins to OC Press Taylor in 2023, the Jaguars did not build on a strong 2022 finish. The Steelers also present one of the highest floors in NFL history, and they have upgraded at quarterback by adding two options — in Justin Fields and likely starter Russell Wilson. But they also have not won a playoff game since the six-field goal offering against the Chiefs — a game that represented the final shove for Kansas City to trade up for Mahoemes — seven years ago.

The Texans emerged from the NFL’s basement last season. Is there a stealth contender lurking? The Chiefs’ division does not look particularly imposing, once again, though Jim Harbaugh now overseeing Justin Herbert is certainly an interesting development. The national championship-winning HC has authored turnarounds everywhere he has gone.

No team has qualified for five Super Bowls in a six-year period, and none of the Super Bowl era’s threepeat efforts have reached the final stage; the 1990 49ers came closest, losing on a last-second field goal in the NFC title game. Who is poised to be the best Chiefs deterrent on their path to a threepeat? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your AFC thoughts in the comments section.

AFC East Notes: Bills, Hackett, Dolphins

May 23rd, 2024 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Terry and Kim Pegula shared equal ownership of the Bills upon buying the team in 2014, but the heart attack Kim suffered in June 2022 has brought a belated update to that status. A February 2023 Terry Pegula filing led to Kim being ruled incapacitated and her husband serving as her guardian, according to The Athletic’s Tim Graham (subscription required). Kim Pegula is not expected to be back with the Bills, Graham reports. Days after the ruling, Laura Pegula — Terry’s daughter from his first marriage — represented the Bills at owners meetings. Soon after, Terry transferred a “small percentage” of the team to Laura to comply with NFL rules regarding succession planning, Graham adds.

While this is an obviously concerning update regarding the health of Kim Pegula, 54, Graham indicates many Bills employees are in the dark about her prognosis and Laura Pegula’s role. Each May, teams are required to have succession plans in place. Previously, Kim was set to act as Bills principal owner as a bridge to the couple’s children; Terry is 73. The succession setup may soon become an issue. Bills employees had assumed tennis prodigy Jessica Pegula, Kim’s oldest child and the WTA’s No. 5-ranked player, and her husband, Taylor Gahagen, would eventually run the team. Jessica wrote a Players’ Tribune piece about her mother’s condition in February 2023, informing the public Kim had suffered brain damage from the heart attack. Months after that column, Graham reports Gahagen had been removed from his position as Bills director of corporate development and Laura had been given an equity stake in the franchise.

Remaining in place as CEO of the Bills and Buffalo Sabres, Terry Pegula has not answered questions publicly about the team since 2019. This update certainly calls into question, particularly in light of how the Broncos ended up being sold, the 11th-year owner’s succession view. Here is the latest from the AFC East:

  • Nathaniel Hackett believes, despite reports the Jets attempted to have some his power stripped this offseason, Robert Saleh still has full confidence in him as OC. “I don’t know what those reports are and I don’t know where their sources came from,” Hackett said, via SNY. “I know what happened with us. It was great. We had a lot of conversations, got to talk to a lot of different people. It’s that simple. It’s already been addressed. … We had a lot of changes, so we were talking to a lot of people.” No known change to the Jets’ offensive plan came about this offseason, though the team has added some new position coaches. Aaron Rodgers has stumped for Hackett on many occasions, and the duo’s relationship from their Green Bay days is largely why the embattled play-caller remains in place. After a rough year as Broncos HC and losing Rodgers four plays into his debut as Jets OC, Hackett joins Saleh and GM Joe Douglas on the hot seat.
  • The Dolphins will pick up $18.5MM in cap space June 2, after the funds from the Xavien Howard cut become available. The team will not look to free agency to make immediate upgrades, per Mike McDaniel. The third-year Dolphins coach said (via ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Beasley) the team — which lost key starters like Howard, Christian Wilkins, Robert Hunt and Jerome Baker this offseason — is “not on the hunt” for FA help.
  • Bills right tackle Spencer Brown will not participate fully in OTAs due to undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, Sean McDermott said (via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg). The Bills battled injuries at many positions last season, but they were healthy along their offensive front. Brown, who has been the team’s primary RT starter since his 2021 rookie year, played all 17 Buffalo games in 2023.

Dolphins, S Jevon Holland Have Not Discussed Extension

May 23rd, 2024 at 11:13am CST by Adam La Rose

Tua Tagovailoa is in line for an extension, but a number of other Dolphins are also eligible for deals keeping them in the fold beyond 2024. That group includes safety Jevon Holland, who has one year remaining on his rookie pact.

An April report indicated Miami was interested in a Holland extension, and general manager Chris Grier confirmed that is the case. Both Tagovailoa and receiver Jaylen Waddle (who is set to play on his fifth-year option in 2025) represent more notable financial priorities, however. That has left Holland waiting for negotiations to begin in his case.

“I’m on the back burner,” the latter said when speaking about the lack of contract talks (via Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald). “I don’t know much. “I just work here. I just work here.”

Holland, 24, has started all but three of his 46 combined regular and postseason appearances for the Dolphins. The former second-rounder had a strong season in 2022, racking up 96 tackles and a pair of interceptions. He was limited to 12 games last year, however, due to a pair of MCL sprains. In 2023, Holland totaled 74 stops, three forced fumbles and a 99-yard pick-six.

The Oregon product also showed improvement in coverage, allowing a passer rating of 99.3 and a pair of touchdowns as the nearest defender. Still, his level of play after returning to the field likely hindered his asking price on a new contract. The overall landscape of the safety position is also a factor working against him with respect to commanding a lucrative extension.

The 2024 offseason has seen a number of high-profile safeties let go, and a number of them remain unsigned well after the draft. While Antoine Winfield Jr. represents a notable exception, the position as a whole has been undervalued recently. That will most acutely affect veterans seeking third or fourth contracts, but it will no doubt be a factor in Holland’s attempts to secure a raise on his second deal.

The Dolphins lost Brandon Jones and DeShon Elliott in free agency, while the team retained Elijah Campbell and added Jordan Poyer. The latter (who came over from the Bills on a one-year, $2MM deal) is set to handle a starting role in 2024. The same will be true of Holland, and his play will particularly be worth watching in the event no new deal gets worked out over the remainder of the offseason.

The Biggest Wide Receiver Contract In Each Team’s History

May 22nd, 2024 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

This offseason has brought changes to the wide receiver market, but a host of wideouts chosen early in the 2020 draft have taken center stage. Most NFL teams have authorized a big-ticket (by today’s standards) deal for a wide receiver. Ranked by guaranteed money and excluding rookie contracts and accords acquired via trade, here is the most lucrative WR deal in each franchise’s history.

Arizona Cardinals

Larry Fitzgerald‘s seven-year, $113MM extension (August 2011) holds the Cardinals standard for total value, but Hopkins’ pact checks in higher in terms of guarantees and AAV.

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

In total, Michael Crabtree‘s 2018 deal (worth $21MM) and Derrick Mason‘s 2005 agreement ($20MM) surpass Beckham’s. But the 2023 Baltimore rental’s guarantee came in higher.

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

The Browns have featured three higher-paid receivers on their roster since Landry’s contract, but both Odell Beckham Jr. and Amari Cooper arrived via trade and played on contracts designed by other teams. Jerry Jeudy‘s AAV ($17.5MM) on his 2024 extension also outpaces Landry’s, though the recent trade pickup’s total guarantee falls short here.

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Courtland Sutton‘s 2021 extension carries a higher AAV ($15MM) but included $18.85MM guaranteed.

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

DeAndre Hopkins‘ 2017 re-up included more in total value but a lower AAV and guarantee

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Tyreek Hill‘s 2022 extension tops his teammate for AAV ($30MM) but came in just south for guarantees ($72.2MM)

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

JuJu Smith-Schuster‘s 2023 deal trails Agholor’s in AAV but carried the same full guarantee. Danny Amendola‘s full payout ($28.5MM) in 2013 tops both deals.

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Allen Lazard‘s 2023 deal and Santonio Holmes‘ contract back in 2011 brought more in total value ($44MM and $45MM, respectively) but did not match Davis’ for guarantees.

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Antonio Brown‘s four-year, $68MM extension in 2017 also included a $19MM guarantee at signing but trailed Johnson’s in terms of total guarantees.

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Chris Godwin‘s 2022 deal beats Evans’ for at-signing guarantees ($40MM), while the all-time Bucs receiving leader’s 2024 agreement leads the way in AAV ($20.5MM).

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

WR DeVante Parker Announces Retirement

May 22nd, 2024 at 10:26am CST by Ben Levine

MAY 22: The Eagles officially placed Parker on their reserve/retired list Wednesday. Barring a comeback attempt, Parker will wrap his career after seven seasons as a Dolphin, two as a Patriot and two months with the Eagles.

MAY 20: DeVante Parker is calling it a career. After signing with the Eagles earlier this offseason, the veteran wide receiver told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that he has decided to retire.

“I want to see my kids, spend quality time with them,” Parker said of his decision. “I want to be there for them whenever I can.”

The former first-round pick spent the first seven seasons of his career in Miami, including a 2019 campaign where he hauled in 72 catches for 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns. Parker ultimately finished his Dolphins career having collected 4,727 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns. While Parker didn’t necessarily live up to his first-round billing in Miami, he still left the organization ranked top-10 in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.

“I also appreciate the Dolphins for drafting me and giving me the opportunity,” Parker told Schefter. “I always will have love for the Dolphins and their organization. And I want to thank all the teams, the Patriots and the Eagles, too. But the Dolphins were the first team, and I really want to thank them.”

Parker was traded to the Patriots ahead of the 2022 campaign and ultimately had two inconsistent seasons in New England. The Patriots’ QB uncertainty limited the wideout to only 933 yards in 26 games with the organization, including this past season where he finished with a career-low 394 receiving yards.

He was released by the Patriots in March and quickly caught on with the Eagles, where he was expected to compete for the third spot on the depth chart behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. With Parker out of the picture, the job is now Parris Campbell‘s to lose. The veteran addition will be competing with the likes of rookie Ainias Smith (fifth round) and Johnny Wilson (sixth round) for reps.

Tua Tagovailoa In Attendance For Dolphins’ OTAs; QB Rejected Extension Offer

May 20th, 2024 at 10:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tua Tagovailoa was among the players who sat out some or all offseason workouts prior to the opening of organized team activities. That marked a departure from his previous attendance decisions, and it led to speculation he could remain absent from the remainder of voluntary offseason activities.

The extension-eligible Dolphins quarterback is indeed present for the opening of OTAs, however, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Tagovailoa had previously stated an intention of taking part in the final phase of Miami’s offseason program, so today’s news comes as little surprise. It also makes it likely the 26-year-old will take part in mandatory minicamp next month.

Tagovailoa skipped most of the Dolphins’ previous offseason workouts, and it was reported last week that decision was tied to the fact he has not landed an extension. All activities prior to minicamp and training camp in July are voluntary, and an absence from the latter in particular would be more noteworthy. Tagovailoa’s attendance at OTAs is a positive sign on the contract front as talks continue. A second NFL pact will be among the most lucrative in the league, something evidenced by the team’s efforts to secure Tagovailoa for the long term.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported during a Sunday SportsCenter appearance (via Tyler Conway of Bleacher Report) that the Dolphins have made at least one offer so far. The fact the former No. 5 pick skipped out on most voluntary workouts is a sign that offer was rejected. Especially with respect to QB mega-deals, negotiations are a back and forth process and plenty of time remains for an agreement to be reached. Tagovailoa is under contract for 2024 on his fifth-year option, valued at $23.17MM.

A long-term accord could very well reach the $50MM-per-year mark, something which is currently true of five deals. Jared Goff inked a Lions extension averaging $53MM per season last week, and that places him in second in the pecking order as things stand. 2021 first overall pick Trevor Lawrence is expected to at least approach the top of the market with his Jaguars extension.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus – who represents a number of Dolphins players but not Tagovailoa himself – notes there is a sentiment inside the organization and around the league an extension will be worked out no later than training camp (video link via Josh Moser). Tagovailoa’s attendance is an encouraging sign on that front, and the progress of contract talks will remain a storyline to follow closely.

Odell Beckham Jr. On WR3 Role In Dolphins’ Offense

May 19th, 2024 at 8:27am CST by Rory Parks

The Dolphins were first connected to Odell Beckham Jr. shortly after the first wave of free agency had passed in March, and they struck a one-year, incentive-laden deal with the 31-year-old wideout just a few days after the 2024 draft wrapped. Although the Jets were rumored as a possible suitor for the three-time Pro Bowler this offseason, it was ultimately a one-team race for Beckham’s services.

That fact is reflected in the $3MM base value of Beckham’s contract, a full $12MM less than the $15MM in guaranteed money he received from the Ravens in the 2023 offseason (a payout that was driven by the status of the Ravens’ negotiations with QB Lamar Jackson at the time). Beckham’s Miami deal also confirms that, despite his ability to stay mostly healthy thoughout his first and only Baltimore campaign, he is now viewed throughout the league as an ancillary piece rather than an offensive focal point.

For his part, Beckham is perfectly content with that. “[A]t this place in my life and my career, I haven’t been the No. 1 (WR) in a minute,” Beckham said during his introductory press conference (via Larry Holder of The Athletic (subscription required)). “You could go look at targets, you could go look at anything, that’s not really where I’ve been at.”

While virtually any player would take a backseat to Miami’s WR tandem of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, it is still notable that Beckham — who looked every bit a future Hall of Famer during the early stages of his pro career, and who had at least two clubs willing to pony up eight figures for him in 2023 — has made peace with his new role.

Beckham caught 35 balls for 565 yards last season, a far cry from his halcyon days with the Giants and even his first season with the Browns in 2019, which was generally considered to be a disappointment. On the other hand, his Baltimore production yielded a 16.1 yards-per-reception rate, a career-best mark that supports the execs who believe that he still possesses high-end ability.

And in South Beach, even a repeat of Beckham’s Ravens output should be more than enough to help the Dolphins’ offense continue to function at a high level. Despite the fact that Miami’s nominal No. 3 wideout, Cedrick Wilson Jr., recorded just 296 yards in 2023, the club finished first in the league in total offense and second in points scored. Wilson is no longer on the team, but Beckham and a pair of Day 3 draftees (Malik Washington and Tahj Washington) have been added to the unit.

Among the 35 receivers who garnered between 40 and 74 targets in 2023, OBJ finished 10th in terms of Expected Points Added per target and third in terms of EPA per reception, which suggests that he can indeed serve as a productive complement to Hill and Waddle.

In discussing his contentment with his current status, Beckham said, “[i]t’s amazing. It gives you a huge sense of peace. I feel like I used to carry a lot of anger or resentment or whatever it was. Now I just feel at peace. You’re able to train, you’re able to play the game that you love again. You kind of get past all the business side or whatever could be holding you back. A part of me feels like this is an opportunity for it to just be football.”

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