The Dolphins are over the projected 2025 salary cap. What can they do to create space?
Last week, we took a look at the Miami Dolphins’ 2025 salary cap projection, with the team estimated to be around $12 million over the cap. In early February, that number seems high, but the team can always create space through re-worked contracts or by releasing players who are scheduled to have a high cap number in 2025, but with little guaranteed money remaining on their contract.
Where can the Dolphins create salary cap savings? Today, we take review the team’s roster, looking for players who could find themselves on a roster transaction sheet, with the team cutting them to create salary cap space.
Dolphins 2025 potential salary-cap casualties
(All numbers via OverTheCap.com; rounded to nearest $100k)
De’Von Achane, running back
- 2025 salary cap number: $1.5 million
- Potential dead money: $480,000
- Potential cap savings: $1 million
Terron Armstead, tackle*
- 2025 salary cap number: $22.8million
- Potential dead money: $18.5 million
- Potential cap savings: $4.3 million
Jake Bailey, punter
- 2025 salary cap number: $2.5 million
- Potential dead money: $500,000
- Potential cap savings: $2 million
Aaron Brewer, center*
- 2025 salary cap number: $8.1 million
- Potential dead money: $8 million
- Potential cap savings: $100,000
Ethan Bonner, cornerback
- 2025 salary cap number: $1 million
- Potential dead money: $0
- Potential cap savings: $1 million
Jordyn Brooks, linebacker*
- 2025 salary cap number: $11.1 million
- Potential dead money: $6.7 million
- Potential cap savings: $4.4 million
Tanner Conner, tight end
- 2025 salary cap number: $1.1 million
- Potential dead money: $0
- Potential cap savings: $1.1 million
Bradley Chubb, linebacker*
- 2025 salary cap number: $28.7 million
- Potential dead money: $27.4 million
- Potential cap savings: $1.3 million
Braden Daniels, offensive lineman
- 2025 salary cap number: $1 million
- Potential dead money: $0
- Potential cap savings: $1 million
Storm Duck, cornerback
- 2025 salary cap number: $1 million
- Potential dead money: $0
- Potential cap savings: $1 million
Erik Ezukanma, wide receiver
- 2025 salary cap number: $1.1 million
- Potential dead money: $0
- Potential cap savings: $1.1 million
Niel Farrell, Jr., defensive tackle
- 2025 salary cap number: $1.1 million
- Potential dead money: $0
- Potential cap savings: $1.1 million
Blake Ferguson, long snapper
- 2025 salary cap number: $1.2 million
- Potential dead money: $0
- Potential cap savings: $1.2 million
Kendall Fuller, cornerback*
- 2025 salary cap number: $8.2 million
- Potential dead money: $5.4 million
- Potential cap savings: $2.8 million
Julian Hill, tight end
- 2025 salary cap number: $1 million
- Potential dead money: $0
- Potential cap savings: $1 million
Alec Ingold, fullback*
- 2025 salary cap number: $4.9 million
- Potential dead money: $3.2 million
- Potential cap savings: $1.7 million
Austin Jackson, tackle*
- 2025 salary cap number: $13.5 million
- Potential dead money: $13.3 million
- Potential cap savings: $200,000
Mohamed Kamara, linebacker
- 2025 salary cap number: $1 million
- Potential dead money: $200,000
- Potential cap savings: $800,000
Patrick McMorris, safety
- 2025 salary cap number: $1 million
- Potential dead money: $100,000
- Potential cap savings: $900,000
Andrew Meyer, offensive lineman
- 2025 salary cap number: $1 million
- Potential dead money: $0
- Potential cap savings: $1 million
Raheem Mostert, running back
- 2025 salary cap number: $3.9 million
- Potential dead money: $1 million
- Potential cap savings: $2.9 million
Jason Sanders, kicker
- 2025 salary cap number: $4.7 million
- Potential dead money: $1.4 million
- Potential cap savings: $3.3 million
Zach Sieler, defensive tackle*
- 2025 salary cap number: $12.4 million
- Potential dead money: $9.6 million
- Potential cap savings: $2.8 million
Cam Smith, cornerback
- 2025 salary cap number: $1.9 million
- Potential dead money: $1 million
- Potential cap savings: $900,000
Jonnu Smith, tight end*
- 2025 salary cap number: $4.6 million
- Potential dead money: $2.2 million
- Potential cap savings: $2.4 million
Durham Smythe, tight end*
- 2025 salary cap number: $4.8 million
- Potential dead money: $2.7 million
- Potential cap savings: $2.1 million
Channing Tindall, linebacker
- 2025 salary cap number: $1.6 million
- Potential dead money: $210,000
- Potential cap savings: $1.4 million
*Potential for Post-June 1 designation
Possible Dolphins 2025 salary-cap cuts that would make sense
Obviously, the team will not release all of the players listed above – one because they would just have to add players onto the roster to replace all of them. I also did not include the future contract signings (Tarik Clak, wide receiver; William Bradley-King, linebacker; Jordan Colbert, safety; Neil Farrell, defensive tackle; Ryan Hayes, tackle; Chasen Hines, offensive lineman; Dequa Jackson, linebacker; Isaiah Johnson, cornerback; Jason Maitre, cornerback; Bayron Matos, tackle; Derrick McLendon, linebacker; and Hayden Rucci, tight end) because, despite each being roughly $1 million in savings if cut, they are developmental players who, if they are cut, really do not create cap savings because Miami will just be signing someone else into that spot. They could be cut, but it likely would be a one-for-one set of roster moves.
Here are the players who, based on numbers and on role with the team, it could make sense for Miami to release:
Terron Armstead, tackle
Savings: $4.3 million
Armstead could decide to retire, which would count basically as if he were cut, at least from a salary cap point of view. If he does decide to retire, getting back $4.3 million in cap space would be a good chunk of the cap savings Miami needs to create this offseason. If he does not retire, he could still be a cap casualty – especially when we look at the post-June 1 cut options below.
Jake Bailey, punter
Savings: $2 million
The Dolphins are changing their special teams coordinator this year, which could mean any of the specialists could be cut. Bailey has been fine, but not special. Could Miami look to get back $2 million in savings and move to someone else for the position?
Bradley Chubb, linebacker
Savings: $1.3 million
This one really is just a matter of how the Dolphins think of Chubb’s recovery. They chose not to bring him back this year, having him sit out the entire season after his knee injury in 2023. If they think he will be fine, keeping him on the roster makes sense, giving the Dolphins multiple pass rushing options – especially if Jaelan Phillip’s 2024 injury might slow him down early in the 2025 season. He is another player who could be a big target for a post-June 1 designation.
Erik Ezukanma, wide receiver
Savings: $1.1 million
So much potential, but it never came together for Ezukanma. It might be time to move on.
Blake Ferguson, long snapper
Savings: $1.2 million
Ferguson’s season ended on the reserve/illness list with the team rotating long snappers to fill in for him. If this is a long-term issue, or if Ferguson has run afoul of the coaching staff in some way, he could be a cut here.
Kendall Fuller, cornerback
Savings: $2.8 million
Fuller is another player that could be a keep or a release, and both ways make sense. He provides solid cornerback play and could be the starter for 2025, or the team could look to get someone else in that role either in free agency or the draft.
Julian Hill, tight end
Savings: $1 million
Hill had a bad 2024 campaign and probably needs to be released as a cap savings option.
Raheem Mostert, running back
Savings: $2.9 million
As much as the coaching staff likes Mostert, his 2024 campaign has made him a potential cut here. Saving nearly $3 million makes this an attractive option.
Jason Sanders, kicker
Savings: $3.3 million
The Dolphins have a very good kicker, and you usually do not want to upset that, especially when he is bombing kicks from 50-plus yards routinely. But, $3.3 million is a good cap savings, and the special teams coordinator change could shake up this position. I think Sanders is back, but we will include him in here because there is a possibility this move happens.
Cam Smith, cornerback
Savings: $900,000
Smith played 34 percent of the defensive snaps this year. That is not a good sign for a player who is entering his third year and is still buried on the depth chart. Maybe it was not just Vic Fangio not wanting to play Smith. This might be a case of a young player needing a fresh start somewhere not in Miami. He would save almost a million dollars for the team with a release.
Durham Smythe, tight end
Savings: $2.1 million
Smythe went from starting tight end in 2023 to a forgotten player in 2024. Saving the team over $2 million makes this feel like a move the team will make.
Channing Tindall, linebacker
Savings: $1.4 million
While Smythe was a forgotten player in 2024, Tindall has been a forgotten player since the team drafted him in the third round in 2022. He played nine defensive snaps as a rookie, 12 defensive snaps in 2023, and none in 2024. He is a special teams player, appearing in 61 percent of the special teams plays last year, but with $1.4 million in savings with a release, it is probably time for the Dolphins to move on from Tindall.
Total savings with all of these moves:
$24.3 million
Dolphins 2025 cap space following these moves:
$12.3 million
Obviously, the Dolphins do not have to make all of these moves, but they could very quickly create a lot of space like this.
Post-June 1 Cut Possibilities
The NFL uses June 1 as a delineation in accounting between league years. Anyone who is cut before June 2 has all of their guaranteed money – including the remaining signing bonus money that was spread over multiple seasons according to the contract – accelerated into the current league year’s accounting. Players released on or after June 2, however, have that money split over the current league year and the next league year. It can lead to significant cap savings for the team this year, while adding additional dead money into next year.
The league allows for two players to be designated as post-June 1 cuts, allowing them to be released before June 2, but the team has to carry their salary cap number until June 2, when they see the savings. The Dolphins have used that option in the past, including with the release of cornerback Xavien Howard last year. Who could be post-June 1 cuts this year? There are several that might be a consideration.
Terron Armstead, tackle
- Standard cut cap savings: $4.3 million
- Post-June 1 cut cap savings: $15 million
This one probably makes the most sense, though Miami would eat the extra savings this year into next year’s cap space. If Armstead decides he is going to retire, Miami could look to cut him with a post-June 1 designation, creating $15 million in cap space that would come into effect in the summer, giving them the money for their draft picks, any potential late free-agent additions, and in-season injury replacement money.
Aaron Brewer, center
- Potential cap savings: $100,000
- Post-June 1 cut cap savings: $3.5 million
If the Dolphins go a more physical front, Brewer, who was good in 2024 but is an athletic, smaller center who can get out into space, could be a casualty of a scheme change. Cutting him for $100,000 in savings does not make sense, but a $3.5 million savings in June could be helpful.
Jordyn Brooks, linebacker
- Potential cap savings: $4.4 million
- Post-June 1 cut cap savings: $9.4 million
Brooks played well and likely will be back with the team, but a $5 million bump in savings lands him on this list.
Bradley Chubb, linebacker
- Potential cap savings: $1.3 million
- Post-June 1 cut cap savings: $19.6 million
This is another one that, if Miami is going to cut Chubb – for all of the reasons discussed above – maybe holding on for a $19.6 million savings in June is the way to go.
Kendall Fuller, cornerback
- Potential cap savings: $2.8 million
- Post-June 1 cut cap savings: $6.8 million
This feels like a good option if the team is moving on from Fuller, and probably feels closer to realistic than Chubb does.
Alec Ingold, fullback
- Potential cap savings: $1.7 million
- Post-June 1 cut cap savings: $3.7 million
I do not think the Dolphins cut Ingold, but if they were to look to move on from him, a post-June 1 designation would give them an additional $2 million for 2025.
Austin Jackson, tackle
- Potential cap savings: $200,000
- Post-June 1 cut cap savings: $6.2 million
Like Ingold, the Dolphins are not likely to move on from Jackson, but if they did decide to make that move, the post-June 1 cut designation would make the most sense.
Zach Sieler, defensive tackle
- Potential cap savings: $2.8 million
- Post-June 1 cut cap savings: $9 million
Continuing a theme of players not likely to be cut, but who could be post-June 1 savings if Miami gets desperate.
Jonnu Smith, tight end
- Potential cap savings: $2.4 million
- Post-June 1 cut cap savings: $4 million
The fourth-straight in the list of players who probably are not going to be cut, but would see a decent increase in savings if they were post-June 1 designated.
Durham Smythe, tight end
- Potential cap savings: $2.1 million
- Post-June 1 cut cap savings: $3.7 million
Smythe is not a huge bonus for a post-June 1 savings, but he could be a consideration.