Dolphins Day 4 free agency blog: Miami adds two ex-Jets. And notable nuance in approach

Welcome to Day 4 of our Miami Dolphins’ free agency live blog. Keep coming back all day:

4:30 p.m.: The Dolphins re-signed fullback/H-back/tight end John Lovett, according to his agent Joe Linta.

Lovett spent last season on injured reserve for the Dolphins. He signed with Kansas City as an undrafted free agent out of Princeton in 2019, and played 45 offensive snaps for Green Bay in 2020, his last appearance in an NFL game.

Alec Ingold is expected to remain the Dolphins’ fullback next season, barring something unforeseen.

4:25 p.m. update: Dolphins free agent linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel plans to visit the Las Vegas Raiders after visiting the New England Patriots on Wednesday, per Jordan Schultz.

3:30 p.m. update: The Dolphins formally announced the signing of Mike White, who will try to hold off Skylar Thompson for the No. 2 quarterback job behind Tua Tagovailoa.

2:30 p.m. update: The Dolphins have been exploring the right tackle market. They still believe Austin Jackson can be a good right tackle but I don’t expect him to be handed the job, either.

2 p.m. update: The Dolphins formally announced the re-signings of running backs Jeff Wilson Jr. and Myles Gaskin, linebacker Duke Riley and offensive lineman Geron Christian, all of which had been widely reported earlier.

1:30 p.m. update: So at this point, the Dolphins down to just handful of roster needs: a punter (Thomas Morstead is a free agent); another tight end (with receiving skills) or two; someone who can challenge at right tackle and back up there; a backup nose tackle and two backup edge players.

And perhaps a couple of more veterans at select positions (such as receiver) for depth and bottom-roster competition.

12:30 p.m. update: The Dolphins signed receiver Braxton Berrios to a one-year deal. (See below for our item on Berrios emerging as a likely option for Miami.) And here’s my story with all the details.

11:30 a.m. update: The Dolphins likely will add another offensive tackle in the days or weeks ahead, supplementing the group of Terron Armstead, Austin Jackson and two backups that they signed in the past 24 hours: Kendall Lamm and Geron Christian, who both finished last season with the Dolphins.

As of Thursday morning, there was nothing percolating with Miami with Dolphins free agent offensive tackles Brandon Shell and Greg Little, though the Dolphins appreciate how Shell played for them last season and remains a possibility for Miami. Eric Fisher, who joined the Dolphins in December and was injured before appearing in a game, also remains a free agent.

11:10 a.m. update: During his ongoing introductory news conference, new Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey said he believes Miami has the best defensive backfield in the league and it’s the best that he has been a part of. He said he made a list of teams that interested him in recent weeks, and Miami stayed on the top of that list throughout the process.

He said coach Mike McDaniel is “cool” and “different” and that Dolphins players speak very highly of him. Colleague Daniel Oyefusi will have more from Ramsey’s media session later today.

11 a.m. update: Elandon Roberts, who started for the Dolphins at inside linebacker alongside Jerome Baker last season, agreed to a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, ESPN’s Cam Wolfe reported. Roberts started 43 games and had 251 tackles for Miami over the past three seasons.

10:10 a.m. update: We hear receiver Braxton Berrios, the former Miami Hurricanes, and Jets receiver, has emerged as a likely option to join the Dolphins. He had 107 catches for 1085 yards and five touchdowns for the Jets over the past four years, including 18 for 145 last season.

He also is a skilled returned; he has averaged 11.4 yards on 67 punt returns, and 24.9 and a touchdown on 67 kick returns. He led the league in kickoff return average at 30.4 in 2021.

9:20 a.m. update: The Dolphins re-signed offensive tackle Geron Christian, who was claimed off waivers from Kansas City in early January.

Christian, Washington’s third-round pick out of Louisville in 2018, signed a one-year deal with Miami, for a bit over $1 million.

He has started 16 games for Houston and Washington in his career, at left tackle and right tackle. He had eight starts for Houston in 2021; he played 10 games for the Chiefs last season (logging 11 offensive snaps) before being waived late in the season when the Chiefs needed a roster spot to bring Mecole Hardman back from injured reserve.

Christian, 25, was on the Dolphins’ roster for the Jets regular season finale and the Bills playoff game but did not play in either.

9:10 a.m. update: Dolphins free agent outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel is visiting the Patriots, as Jordan Schultz reported. (We noted Tuesday that he had a visit lined up and that Miami didn’t have the money to make a good offer.)

Barring something unforeseen, he’s expected to leave in free agency. Miami doesn’t have a lot to spend on backup edge players. Free agent Melvin Ingram remains a possibility to return.

9 a.m. update: The Dolphins added veteran left guard Dan Feeney on Thursday morning, a source confirmed.

Feeney has started 64 games at center and guard during his career, mostly for the Chargers, where he started all 48 games between 2018 and 2020. He began his career in 2017 as a left guard for the Chargers.

Last season, he appeared in 17 games and started two for the Jets. He started five games for the Jets in 2021. Over the past two seasons, he has played 18 and 10 percent of the Jets’ offensive snaps.

Feeney, 28, could replace free agent Michael Deiter as Miami’s backup center and a backup at left guard, where he could challenge starter Liam Eichenberg and backup Rob Jones for playing time. Guard Leston Cotton also is under contract.

8:50 a.m. update: As they did last year, the Dolphins are signing several players to two-year deals that are basically one-year deals, because there’s no guaranteed money due after 2023.

That’s smart, because it can allow the Dolphins to escape with limited dead money hits.

So why not just sign players to one-year deals? 1) Because in some cases, it wouldn’t be enough to lure them. and 2) You have them under contract at reasonable amounts for 2024 if they play really well in 2023.

No money is guaranteed after the first year for Raheem Mostert (who was guaranteed $2.2 million overall), Jeff Wilson Jr. ($2.64 million), Duke Riley ($2.2 million) and Mike White ($4.5 million).

In 2024, if the Dolphins want to keep White, he will be due $3.5 million with a $5.2 million cap hit. If they cut him after this season, they won’t owe him another dime but will have a $1.7 dead money 2024 cap hit, whether he’s cut before or after June 1.

In 2024, if the Dolphins want to keep Mostert, he will be due $2.4 million with a $3.4 million cap hit. If they cut him after this season, they won’t owe him another dime but will have a $650,000 dead money 2024 cap hit, whether he’s cut before or after June 1.

In 2024, if the Dolphins want to keep Wilson, he will be due $2.6 million with a $3.8 million cap hit. If they cut him after this season, they won’t owe him another dime but will have a $782,500 dead money 2024 cap hit, whether he’s cut before or after June 1.

In 2024, if the Dolphins want to keep Riley, he will be due $2.25 million with a $3.1 million cap hit. If they cut him after this season, they won’t owe him another dime but will have a $585,000 dead money cap hit, whether he’s cut before or after June 1.

All of Jalen Ramsey’s $14.5 million salary is guaranteed for 2024, and he will have a $28.4 million cap hit unless the sides restructure.

Though overthecap.com projects the Dolphins as $15 million over the cap next season, they can get below with more releases and restructures. A multiyear deal for Tua Tagovailoa could lower his cap hit from $23.1 million.