The Miami Dolphins haven’t really made any significant moves in NFL free agency, which has been frustrating for a fan base that just watched its team miss the playoffs in spite of entering 2024 with high expectations.
To be fair, the Dolphins didn’t exactly have a lot of wiggle room under the salary cap, either, so it’s not like Miami was ever going to be big spenders this offseason.
But perhaps that’s just the way general manager Chris Grier likes it?
Brian Miller of Phin Phanatic has pointed out how much the Dolphins value compensatory picks in the NFL Draft, and in order for that to happen, Miami will have to lose some more pieces on the open market. That may be why the Dolphins do not seem hellbent on signing anyone else at the current point in time
This year, for example, Miami will not likely gain much for next year’s draft. They lost Jevon Holland and Robert Jones, but they gained Zach Wilson and James Daniels,” Miller explained. “The four players offset each other but the Dolphins are likely hoping that more of their in-house free agents will sign with another team and give them at the very least a seventh-round compensatory pick. In order to gain that selection, they have to stand back and not sign someone who will offset it.”
Here’s the catch, though: that ends on June 1, so Miami can feel free to sign anyone after that date. The problem, of course, is that there may not be any truly viable players remaining at that point, so the Dolphins may be left holding the bag.
There are certainly still free agents available that can help Miami, but the Dolphins don’t appear all that eager to add them. It’s an intriguing strategy, to say the least, and it could be viewed as very questionable for a team trying to contend.
Miami has not won a playoff game since January 2001, representing the longest active drought in the NFL.
