With the Dolphins in need of depth along the defensive front, Emmanuel Ogbah will remain in the fold for 2024. The veteran agreed to a new Miami deal on Tuesday, as first reported by NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe.
Ogbah – who worked out recently, with the Dolphins searching for a Shaquil Barrett replacement – will receive up to $5MM on a one-year deal, Wolfe adds. The 30-year-old has spent the past four seasons in South Beach, logging 27 starts in 57 games. He was attached to a four-year, $65.4MM deal before being among the veterans let go by Miami in a cost-shedding move earlier this offseason.
Barrett surprised the Dolphins by hanging up his cleats just before the start of training camp. The former Bronco and Buccaneer was set to play an important role along the edge, particularly early in the campaign. The Dolphins have Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb atop the depth chart, but both are questions marks with respect to being available in time for Week 1. Barrett’s retirement led to renewed interest on Miami’s part in pursuing an Ogbah reunion.
The former second-rounder spent three seasons in Cleveland and one in Kansas City before the start of his Dolphins tenure. Ogbah posted back-to-back campaigns with nine sacks in 2020-21, proving his value as a full-time starter. He was limited to nine games through injury in 2023, though, and this past season his production took a step back (5.5 sacks, nine quarterback hits). The Oklahoma State alum should nevertheless be able to carve out a rotational role in a familiar setting over the course of training camp.
Miami also hosted Yannick Ngakoue yesterday as part of the team’s search for edge depth. Given today’s news, it is safe to assume the journeyman sack artist will need to look elsewhere to find his next deal. The Dolphins entered Tuesday with just over $12MM in cap space, so this Ogbah addition could prove to be the most impactful one made for the foreseeable future.