Day 2 Dolphins free agency blog: Miami looks for help on offense; many options available

Welcome to Day 2 of our live Dolphins free agent blog.

Day 1 delivered contract agreements with new starting inside linebacker (David Long), a new backup quarterback (Mike White) and linebacker depth (incumbent Duke Riley, who also is helpful on special teams).

Keep checking back for news throughout the day:

7 p.m. update: Per a source, free agent linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel has a visit lined up with another team and is drawing interest from multiple teams.

The Dolphins have shown some interest in re-signing him, but there likely will be more opportunity for playing time and more money elsewhere. A return to Miami hasn’t been ruled out, but opportunities with other teams are being explored.

Miami has a lot of money tied up on edge players with Bradley Chubb and Emmanuel Ogbah.

Van Ginkel has been highly productive, but he lost playing time last season because of the additions of Melvin Ingram and Chubb, and an increased role for Jaelan Phillips.

The Dolphins need to add one or two veteran edge players as depth behind Chubb, Jaelan Phillips and Ogbah. Melvin Ingram remains a possibility; he had 22 tackles, six sacks and a forced fumble in 17 games for Miami last season, including three starts.

6 p.m. update: Aaron Rodgers will make his first public comments of the week on Pat McAfee’s radio show at 1 p.m. Wednesday. We’ll see, at that point, if Rodgers will confirm that he intends to play for the Jets (provided the Packers and Jets work out a trade).

The Jets added one of Rodgers’ former receivers, Allen Lazard, in free agency on Tuesday (on a four-year, $44 million contract) and are reportedly interested in several other of Rodgers’ current Packers teammates - including Marcedes Lewis and Randall Cobb.

Dolphins-Jets is always fun without Aaron Rodgers. With Rodgers, it would be even better theater, worthy of at least one game going to a national audience.

5 p.m. update: There was some speculation on a national podcast on Tuesday that Miami might look to trade Xavien Howard. I do not expect that to happen. The idea of landing Jalen Ramsey was to have two skill cover corners, not one.

What’s more, Howard’s 2023 Dolphins cap hit would rise from $10.1 million to $31.9 million if he were traded before June 1.

His $10.1 million cap hit would drop to $8.8 million if he were traded after June 1, but that’s such a small difference that any savings would be totally offset by money spent on a new starting cornerback to replace Howard.

So any suggestion that Howard could be dealt seems illogical.

3 p.m. update: The Dolphins have turned their attention to some of their own free agents today, with negotiations ongoing with at least a couple and deals closed with Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson.

Their five biggest remaining needs, in our view:

1) Signing a right tackle; they have nobody under contract besides Austin Jackson, and there needs to be competition at the position. Brandon Shell, who played well, could return.

2) Signing a veteran safety with starting experience to supplement Jevon Holland and Brandon Jones. The other two safeties under contract, Elijah Campbell and Verone McKinley III, are worth developing, but Miami needs someone to replace Eric Rowe, unless the Dolphins change course and re-sign him.

3) A tight end to share the position with Durham Smythe or start ahead of him. There are 40 free agent tight ends, and at least 15 would be serviceable options. There’s no urgency to overpay. And the draft has a deep tight end class.

4) Two backup edge players, either by re-signing Andrew Van Ginkel (who could get a bigger role elsewhere) and/or Melvin Ingram or looking for a value pickup or two on the open market.

5) Adding backup offensive linemen; all except Rob Jones are free agents. Miami needs to re-sign Michael Deiter or find another backup interior lineman. And tackle depth is needed; Shell, Greg Little, Kendall Lamm and Eric Fisher are all free agents.

2:30 p.m. update: The Dolphins are keeping running back Jeff Wilson on a two-year deal that could be worth as much as $8.2 million, a source confirmed.

That means Miami is retaining its top three running backs from a year ago -- Raheem Mostert, Wilson and Salvon Ahmed. They appear likely to bypass pursuing a back via a trade (Austin Ekeler, Derrick Henry) after exploring a trade scenario involving Dalvin Cook.

Wilson averaged 4.9 per carry for the Dolphins and 49ers last season, as did Mostert. They tied for 11th in the league in that category.

2 p.m.: Right tackle remains something of a conundrum for Miami; the Dolphins still have hope that Austin Jackson can be effective at that position, but his durability is a concern in the wake of ankle injuries sidelining him 15 games last season.

Free agent Brandon Shell, who started most of the game’s at right tackle, remains in the mix for Miami. Kendall Lamm, who gave the Dolphins good snaps at left tackle Jan. 1 against New England before an ankle injury, also remains a free agent.

The free agent market still have some competent starting right tackles, led by Atlanta’s Kaleb McGary (best of the group remaining), the Jets’ George Fant and former Dolphin and Jermaine Eluemunor.

1:30 p.m. update: The Dolphins previously inquired about Vikings running back Dalvin Cook. (See below.) It appears unlikely they will do the same with Austin Ekeler after the Chargers granted him permission to seek a trade.

Ekeler leads the NFL with 38 touchdowns from scrimmage since 2021. He’s due $6.25 million in 2023, the final year of his deal, and wants more than that, and potentially an extension.

Some teams have an aversion to paying a running back $7 million or more a season. The Dolphins haven’t spent a ton at the position in recent years, but did years ago with Ricky Williams.

Here’s how Ekeler and Cook compare:

Cook: 4.7 yards per carry, 221 catches and an 8.1 average per reception. He has 1282 rushing attempts and 47 rushing touchdowns in 73 games, including 72 starts, over six seasons.

Ekeler: 4.6 yards per carry, 389 catches and an 8.9 per reception average. He has 811 rushing attempts and 34 rushing touchdowns in 89 games, including 54 starts, over six seasons.

Both came into the league in 2017. Cook was the 41st overall pick, by Minnesota. Ekeler was undrafted. Both are 27.

Here’s more on the situation with Cook...

11:25 a.m. update: The Dolphins - after initial inquiries with the Vikings - were not anticipating a trade for running back Dalvin Cook, at least as of this morning, according to a source.

That could change if Vikings decide to do something with him; the Dolphins appreciate his skill set. Minnesota appears disinclined to trade him, per NFL Network.

He has three years left on his contract (non-guaranteed) and is set to make $10.4 million in 2023, $11.9 million in 2024, and $12.9 million in 2025 if the Vikings (or any team that acquires him) keeps him on that deal.

11:10 a.m. update: The Dolphins agreed to a new two-year deal with running back Raheem Mostert, who set a career high in yards rushing with 891 yards (21st in the league) last season.

Mostert deal is for two years and can be worth up to $7.6 million, according to a source. The deal has $2.2 million guaranteed.

His 4.9 average tied for 11th. Pro Football Focus rated him 25th among 63 qualifying backs.

As a receiver, Mostert caught 31 of 42 passes thrown to him for 202 yards, with two drops. He played 56 percent of the Dolphins’ offensive snaps; in San Francisco, he had never played more than 43 percent in a single season.

Miami used Mostert on 25 kickoff returns, and he averaged 20.1 yards on those returns. His 1,595 all-purpose yards ranked ninth among running backs.

10:25 a.m. update: The Dolphins have monitoring the situation with Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook; they have spoken to the Vikings, according to a source.

NFL Network and Vikings reporter Darren Wolfson have said he’s likely to stay with the Vikings.

He’s due $10.4 million next season and has three years remaining on his contract.

10 a.m. update: The Dolphins have about $15 to $17 million in cap space; we’ll know the precise figure when David Long’s two year, $11 million contract hits the NFL wire.

The Dolphins were at $29 million after restructuring Bradley Chubb, Terron Armstead and Tyreek Hill. They acquired Jalen Ramsey but restructured his contract to drop his cap hit from $17 million to $4.1 million.

Contracts for Salvon Ahmed, Mike White and Duke Riley dropped the cap space to about $20 million. Long’s contract likely leaves Miami’s space in the $15 million to $17 million range.

More space can be created, among other ways, by restructuring Jerome Baker or Emmanuel Ogbah or extending Christian Wilkins and lowering his $10.7 million cap hit for 2023.

And $13.6 million in cap space will be freed up on June 1, when Byron Jones’ contract comes off Miami’s books.

9:30 a.m. update: Monday wasn’t active for the tight end class; only two were signed (Josh Oliver and Chris Manhertz). The Dolphins, with only two tight ends under contract (Durham Smythe, Tanner Conner), still have plenty of options.

Dallas’ well-rounded Dalton Schultz cannot be ruled out, but he’s pricey and that’s money best spent elsewhere. There are still 38 tight ends available in free agency, a group led by Hayden Hurst, Austin Hooper, Robert Tonyan, Irv Smith, Jordan Akins and Foster Moreau.

If Miami cannot find someone at its price point in the next few days, it could wait for a value signing later in the offseason. Smythe was the Dolphins’ starter last season and could remain in that role, unless Miami moves on Hurst or Hooper, in particular (or Schultz, of course).

9:25 a.m. update: Day 1 passed without the Dolphins signing either Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson; Miami has shown interest in keeping both. Both players also have shown an interest in returning, but the non-action strongly suggests the sides haven’t agreed on compensation, at least as of early Tuesday morning.

In fact, not a single one of the 42 unrestricted free agent running backs agreed to terms with a team on Monday.

Minnesota reportedly have fielded interest in Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook, who would immediately become a serious Dolphins option if the Vikings parted ways with him. But there has been nothing firm to suggest yet that the Vikings will dump him; NFL Network said they’re expected to keep him.

It’s difficult to see the Dolphins meeting the contract demands of Austin Ekeler, who wants more than the $6.2 million he’s owed next season and has asked the Chargers for permission to seek a trade. Tennessee reportedly would consider dealing Derrick Henry, but he also comes with a high price tag ($10.5 million salary next season).

The top free agent backs remaining, beyond Mostert and Wilson, are Philadelphia’s Miles Sanders, Seattle’s Rashaad Penny, Buffalo’s Devin Singletary, Detroit’s Jamaal Williams, Kansas City’s Jerick McKinnon, Chicago’s David Montgomery, New England’s Damian Harris, Minnesota’s Alexander Mattison, Cleveland’s Kareem Hunt, Carolina’s D’Onta Foreman and the Jets’ James Robinson.

The longer this goes without getting Mostert or Wilson under contract, it keeps alive the possibility of the Dolphins landing someone else. It’s clear that across the league, running backs want more more than is being offered.

9:15 a.m. update: Duke Riley’s new Dolphins deal is for two years and could be worth up to $5 million. He got a $1.2 million signing bonus and $2.2 million is guaranteed. Miami would walk away after a year without much financial penalty, which is how they also structured the Mike White deal and several contracts last season.