As of February 17, the Miami Dolphins have remained stagnant in terms of available salary cap space. According to Over the Cap, their current cap space stands at a negative $51.898 million, ranking them as the second-worst in the NFL, just ahead of the New Orleans Saints.
Due to their financial situation, the Dolphins are under pressure to reduce their salary burden swiftly, especially with the upcoming new league year in March. On February 14, linebacker Jerome Baker was identified as a potential “cut candidate” by uSTADIUM.
If the Dolphins designate Baker as a post-June 1 release, they can save $11.053 million. Alternatively, they can clear around $9.82 million by releasing him and his $37.5 million contract before June 1. These are significant figures that Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier must be considering, in addition to other veteran players such as edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah and cornerback Xavien Howard.
Sports Illustrated beat reporter Omar Kelly discussed the potential future of Baker on January 22, contemplating whether he should be released or have his contract restructured. Kelly acknowledged that Baker, a six-year starter who played a crucial role in Miami’s defense in 2023 with 72 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two interceptions in 13 games, remains a valuable leader. The Dolphins currently have him under contract for $11.1 million and would recoup $9.8 million if they released him outright. While it’s possible for Baker to re-sign for a contract similar to the two-year, $10 million deal of fellow inside linebacker David Long Jr., he might prefer to explore free agency for the first time before committing to such an agreement.
Kelly also mentioned that Baker’s knee and wrist injuries could complicate matters, potentially affecting his ability to pass a physical examination in March.
New Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver Omits Mention of LB Jerome Baker in Introductory Press Conference
During his introductory press conference on February 15, new Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver discussed several players who he expects to play a pivotal role in the team’s defense for the 2024 season. The mentioned players included Zach Sieler, Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, Jevon Holland, Jalen Ramsey, and David Long Jr. Weaver also acknowledged the talent of Christian Wilkins, who is approaching free agency in March.
While Weaver acknowledged that he might have unintentionally omitted certain players, it is worth noting that he did not specifically mention linebacker Jerome Baker. However, this omission does not necessarily imply anything negative about Baker, as he has been a consistent starter for the Dolphins since 2018. It is typically encouraging when a new coordinator or coach highlights a player as an integral asset moving forward, but the absence of mention does not necessarily diminish Baker’s importance to the team.
Future Reunion? Miami Dolphins Open to Re-Signing LB Jerome Baker Down the Line
Given the Miami Dolphins’ need to generate cap space early in the offseason, it appears that cutting Jerome Baker could be seen as an expected outcome. However, this does not mean that the Dolphins are ruling out the possibility of re-signing the linebacker at a later date, provided he does not sign with another team in free agency.
Neal Driscoll, a Dolphins podcaster, proposed a scenario where Baker is released before June 1, alongside the designation of Xavien Howard as a post-June 1 release. Following June 1, Driscoll suggested the potential for a reunion between Baker and the Dolphins at a reduced cost. This concept hinges on the idea that the Dolphins could bring Baker back to the team after June 1 for a more affordable contract.
Ultimately, while cutting Baker to create cap space seems likely, there remains the possibility of a reunion between Baker and the Dolphins at a later date, should the circumstances align.
According to the podcaster’s theory, if the Dolphins release Xavien Howard, it would result in a cap space gain of $18.5 million that becomes available after June 1. They could potentially allocate this freed-up cap space to various needs, such as signing their draft class ($8 million), re-signing Jerome Baker ($5 million), and bringing back offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn ($3 million). This hypothesis presents a plausible scenario for the Dolphins to address multiple roster needs while managing their salary cap.
As the NFL’s new league year is set to commence on March 13, and the legal tampering period for free agency starts on March 11, we can expect to gain clarity on how these situations will unfold in the near future. The upcoming key dates in the NFL calendar will shed light on the Dolphins’ intentions and their approach to managing their cap space and roster.
