Dolphins Expected to Release $65 Million Edge Rusher: Report

The Miami Dolphins need more cap space. To open up more room under the salary cap, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Dolphins plan to release linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah.

Releasing Ogbah will save Miami $13.7 million against the cap for the 2024 season. The linebacker signed a $65 million extension to stay in Miami two years ago.

“Dolphins plan to release veteran LB Emmanuel Ogbah today, per source,” Schefter tweeted.

“Miami signed Ogbah to a four-year, $65 million deal after he posted back-to-back mince-sack seasons in 2020 and 2021.”

During 2023, Ogbah had 5.5 sacks with 3 tackles for loss and 9 quarterback hits. He also had 20 combined tackles with 2 pass defenses and 1 interception in 15 games.

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Dolphins Set to Release LB Emmanuel Ogbah

Ogbah appeared to be at the top of his game just two years ago when he signed the big contract extension with the Dolphins.

But he suffered a season-ending triceps injury during Week 10 in 2022. Then this past season, he lost his starting job under former Dolphins defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

Ogbah still produced fairly well with 5.5 sacks. But he only started 1 game and played just 25% of the team’s defensive snaps in his 15 contests.

The 30-year-old began his career as a second-round pick for the Cleveland Browns in the 2016 NFL draft. In three seasons with Cleveland, he produced 12.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss and 61 quarterback hits.

The Browns, though, traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs prior to the 2019 NFL draft.

During 2019, Ogbah posted 5.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hits and 3 pass defenses in 10 games. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs, however, Ogbah ended the season on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle.

In eight NFL seasons, Ogbah has recorded 42.5 sacks, 41 tackles for loss and 101 quarterback hits. He’s also registered 39 pass defenses and 8 forced fumbles.

Over four seasons with the Dolphins, Ogbah had 24.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, 61 quarterback hits, 19 pass defenses and 5 forced fumbles.

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Miami’s 2024 Cap Situation

The NFL announced on February 23 that the league’s salary cap will increase by an unprecedented $30 million. However, the Dolphins still aren’t in a great cap situation.

Even after releasing Ogbah, which caused Miami to take a $4 million hit in dead cap money, the Dolphins are $24.6 million over the salary cap according to Spotrac.

Bug Ogbah wasn’t the only defender the Dolphins released on February 23. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that the team also released cornerback Xavien Howard.

Assuming Howard will be a post-June 1 designated release, the Dolphins will save an additional $18.5 million with Howard’s release.

A second-round pick from 2016, Howard spent the first eight years of his NFL career in Miami. He made first-team All-Pro in 2020, second-team All-Pro in 2018 and four Pro Bowls (2018, 2020-22).

So, with Ogbah and Howard both gone, the Dolphins are getting closer to the right side of the salary cap. But there’s still more work to be done.

That’s especially the case with the Dolphins potentially offering quarterback Tua Tagovailoa a contract extension this offseason. Spotrac projected Tagovailoa’s contract value to be $302.8 million on a six-year contract this offseason. Such a deal would give Tagovailoa an average annual salary of $50.4 million.

Of course, the Dolphins also need space to add potential other free agents and the 2024 rookie draft class.

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