Dolphins Defensive Spending Spree Made Possible by $19.9 Million Move

The Miami Dolphins kicked off free agency with a rash of departures, but as Tyreek Hill alluded on social media, general manager Chris Grier ended up having a few tricks up his sleeve come Monday evening.

First, Grier cleared $19.912 million by restructuring the contract of veteran cornerback Jalen Ramsey (per NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero). Later, Pelissero added that Zach Sieler, Alec Ingold and Durham Smythe would be restructured as well. He went on to note that all four salary moves cleared about $28.78 million — with more on the way via left tackle Terron Armstead.

This provided the Dolphins with operating room, and Grier didn’t wait long to start utilizing the newfound cap space. From the evening of March 11 to the morning of March 12, Miami went on a bit of a spending spree on the defensive side.

Linebacker Anthony Walker agreed to a one-year deal, followed by former Seattle Seahawks first rounder Jordyn Brooks — another linebacker. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported $30 million over three years for Brooks, a solid payday at his position.

And finally, former two-time Super Bowl champion edge rusher Shaq Barrett agreed to join Anthony Weaver’s new defense on March 12. Bleacher Report insider Jordan Schultz shared the news on X.

Not long after, Schefter confirmed that Barrett was given a one-year offer — like Walker — via his agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey. The pass rusher’s deal could pay up to $9 million.

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What Will Dolphins Get out of Collection of New LBs?

Whether inside or outside, the Dolphins clearly prioritized the linebacker position in free agency.

Miami had to replace cap casualty Jerome Baker, as well as edge rushers Andrew Van Ginkel and Emmanuel Ogbah. They also need insurance after long-term injuries to Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, so this area did need addressing. Having said that, I’m not sure anyone expected Grier and Weaver to bring in three free agents at any one position group within the first 48 hours.

So, what should Dolphins fans expect from their new second level of defense?

Barrett will be 32 in November. He bounced back from a durability standpoint in 2023, suiting up for 16 outings in Tampa Bay.

His impact as a pass rusher might not be what it once was though, with just 7.5 sacks over his past 24 games. Barrett was at his best in 2019, with 19.5 sacks and 19 tackles for a loss over 16 appearances. His only other 10-sack campaign came in 2021.

Walker is likely more of a depth signing at middle linebacker, coming off two injury-ravaged seasons in 2022 and 2023. He was once a steady 100-plus tackler that filled the stat sheet for Indianapolis and Cleveland, but those days could be over.

Brooks is the most enticing pickup of the three, registering 184 total tackles and 10 tackles for a loss in 2021. That production dipped slightly in 2022 and more in 2023, but the first-round talent is still oozing with potential.

Brooks must clean up his missed tackles (a total of 21 last year), and he’s never been great in coverage according to Pro Football Focus, but the 26-year-old brings explosiveness as a pass rusher and range as a tackler.

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Dolphins Agree to Terms With New Center Aaron Brewer

With their newfound cap space, the Dolphins have a new addition on the offensive line as well, seemingly replacing injured center Connor Williams.

“The Dolphins have agreed to terms with their new center, locking in former [Tennessee] Titans C Aaron Brewer to a 3-year deal worth $21M total, source said,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport relayed on March 11.

Brewer is a former undrafted prospect that is 26 years of age. He worked his way up the depth chart in Tennessee, starting all 34 games over the past two seasons after just six starts in 2020 and 2021.

According to Pro Football Focus, Brewer excelled as a run blocker in 2023, and his athleticism and mobility should be considered a major strength in Mike McDaniel’s outside zone scheme.

Pass protection is a problem area for the Titans product, however. Last year alone, Brewer was charged with six sacks and 34 quarterback pressures with a pass-blocking efficiency rating of 96.5. All three of those statistics ranked bottom three in the NFL among centers (minimum 50% of snaps played).

He was also penalized five times in 2023 and seven times the season prior.

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