Dolphins looking for linebacker help: Who’s available and things to keep in mind

The Dolphins opted to retain the same three veteran inside linebackers last season.

My understanding is this won’t be as simple as opting for the status quo again; the Dolphins will seriously explore signing an external addition to augment the group this time around.

It’s a deep class of inside linebackers, and expect the Dolphins to look for at least one that fits a Vic Fangio defense.

There are more than a dozen appealing external options, some particularly pricey. Among them: Bobby Wagner, who was cut by the Rams recently and was Pro Football Focus’ No. 1-rated linebacker last season (excluding edge players).

Wagner represents himself in negotiations, and there haven’t been any leaks about his free agent discussions.

One person familiar with Fanzio’s scheme cited Wagner, Philadelphia’s T.J. Edwards and Tennessee’s David Long among impending free agents who would be effective. A pursuit of Buffalo’s Tremaine Edmunds could bolster the Dolphins and hurt a division rival, though he would be costly.

And Tampa Bay’s Lavonte David (a Miami Northwestern alum with 124 tackles last season) and Las Vegas’ Denzel Perryman (a UM alum with 154 and 83 tackles the past two seasons) are among other names to keep in mind.

Here’s my in-depth look at options available.

The issue is what the Dolphins can afford. They’re $1 million under the cap and can clear out $25 million in space by restructuring contracts of Tyreek Hill, Emmanuel Ogbah and Terron Armstead. [Bradley Chubb’s deal was restructured Wednesday.]

But they also need to sign a cornerback, two running backs, a veteran tight end, backup offensive linemen, a safety, two backup edge players and a backup quarterback. So whether Miami can afford a top inside linebacker remains questionable.

The entire inside linebacker room is in flux because Elandon Roberts and Duke Riley are free agents; Channing Tindall is largely unproven after playing nine defensive snaps as a rookie; and Jerome Baker is nine days from his $8.4 million 2023 salary becoming fully guaranteed.

If the Dolphins keep Baker — and a strong case could be made to do so — the question is how much they’re willing to spend on an inside linebacker to play next to him.

But I do expect the Dolphins to try to add a starting-caliber inside linebacker, if it fits their price point, which is unclear.

Thoughts, metrics, financial status and the outlook for all Miami Dolphins linebackers heading into the free agency and the draft:

INSIDE LINEBACKERS

JEROME BAKER

▪ The contract: Under contract through 2024. Due to make $8.4 million next season and $10.8 million in 2024; none of that money is guaranteed for either season. But as noted, the 2023 salary becomes guaranteed if he’s on the team a week from Friday.

▪ The metrics: PFF rated him 18th among 84 linebackers (not including edge players) and 31st against the run. He didn’t blitz as often as past years, but had four sacks and 14 hurries on 112 pass rushing snaps and a sack on a blitz in the playoff game.

He finished 56th in the NFL with 100 tackles. He had 126, 112 and 92 during the three previous seasons.

Baker’s coverage numbers have never been quite as good as they probably should be. Last season, he finished with a 107.8 passer rating in his coverage area — 53 for 67 for 421 yards and three touchdowns allowed. The good news is receptions against him averaged just 7.9 yards, which was among the best in the league.

▪ The future: His $12.5 million cap number in 2023 shrinks to $8.7 million if he’s cut or traded before June 1, and drops to $3.7 million if he’s cut or traded after June 1.

But cutting him after June 1 makes no sense, because his contract would have been guaranteed by then. A trade after June 1 could be justified if the Dolphins decide they want a different top inside linebacker.

Even if the Dolphins decide they want an upgrade on Baker, the dead money hit ($8.7 million) seems too high to release him before June 1.

Baker restructured his contract (lowering his 2022 cap hit by $2.5 million) to help the Dolphins facilitate the Chubb trade from a cap perspective. Perhaps another restructure — converting some of his $8.4 million salary into a signing bonus — would be another option.

He doesn’t make many ‘wow” or game-altering plays but remains a solid, reliable, durable contributor and a team-first leader who coaches trust. Reporters can see how much Baker is genuinely affected by Dolphins’ losses, and you like guys like that on your team.

ELANDON ROBERTS

▪ The contract: He will be an unrestricted free agent beginning next week.

▪ The metrics: His career-high 107 tackles ranked 44th in the league, and he made several big plays in short-yardage situations. But PFF rated him 65th of 84 inside linebackers, primarily because he was rated 14th worst in pass coverage.

Per PFF, he permitted a 112.8 passer rating in his coverage area, with 37 completions in 42 throws for 305 yards and two TDs, but just an 8.2 average per catch. Roberts disputed those numbers, indicating they’re not an accurate reflection of defensive responsibilities for linebackers in coverage.

PFF rated him best among inside linebackers at rushing the passer; he had 13 pressures and 4.5 sacks on just 29 pass rushing snaps. Perhaps the Dolphins should have allowed him to do that more often.

▪ The future: His agent, Drew Rosenhaus — who represents Baker, Roberts and Riley — told WQAM’s Joe Rose that there’s mutual interest in a Roberts return to Miami.

Roberts remains effective against the run and dangerous when used as a pass rusher and made a case to return on another one-year deal. What to do at inside linebacker is as difficult a decision as any Miami will face this offseason.

DUKE RILEY

▪ The contract: Unrestricted free agent.

▪ The metrics: PFF rated him 58th of 84 linebackers (not including edge players), but 15th lowest against the run.

Against the pass, PFF said he had a 108.6 passer rating in his coverage area, with 26 completions in 34 targets for 189 yards and 2 TDs. But the 7.9 average per catch was among the best in the league among linebackers.

He rushed the quarterback only 33 times and had nine pressures and a sack.

▪ The future: Riley has value on a reasonably-priced deal. But if the Dolphins bring back the same four inside linebackers (Baker, Roberts, Tindall and Riley), that’s not really addressing a unit that needs to add a player capable of more game-changing plays.

CHANNING TINDALL

▪ The contract: Signed through 2025. Will earn $934,000 next season, $1.2 million in 2024 and $1.4 million in 2025.

▪ The metrics: Played only nine snaps on defense and 167 on special teams. Had three tackles.

▪ The future: Tindall wasn’t a factor as a rookie last season. Miami used him as a spy against Chicago’s Justin Fields on four plays in the first half of the Bears game on Nov. 6. But he never played another defensive snap all season. Coach Mike McDaniel recently said that he expects Tindall to make a big jump next season. Here were his candid comments after the season.

SAM EGUAVOEN

▪ The contract: Will be an unrestricted free agent.

▪ The metrics: Played only 34 snaps on defense (down from 181 the previous season) and 281 on special teams.

This stood out: Per PFF, all four passes thrown against him were completed for touchdowns, but those passes went for just 5 yards.

▪ The future: The Dolphins could move on after four seasons.

JAELAN PHILLIPS

▪ The contract: Has two more years left on his rookie deal. Will earn $1.9 million and $2.6 million during the next two seasons.

▪ The metrics: PFF rated him sixth among 119 edge defenders, and ranked him 18th against the run, which was an enormous improvement from his rookie season.

He finished fifth among edge players with 42 run stops, which are tackles on running plays that PFF determines to be a net loss for the offense (in a complicated formula).

With seven quarterback pressures in the playoff game, he closed the season with 77 quarterback pressures. At the time of the Dolphins’ elimination, only four NFL players had more QB pressures this season — Chandler Parsons, Maxx Crosby, Nick Bosa and ZaDarius Smith.

Those 77 were the most pressures by any Miami Dolphin since Cameron Wake had 86 in 2012.

▪ The future: Though his sacks dropped from 8.5 to 7.0, Phillips took a major step last season, improving dramatically against the run, getting frequent pressure on the quarterback and causing turnovers in the two games in Buffalo.

His playing time increased as a result; he played on 73 percent of Miami’s defensive snaps, compared with 54 percent as a rookie. He’s a key part of the Dolphins’ future.

BRADLEY CHUBB

▪ The contract: Signed through 2027 after agreeing to a five-year deal that could be worth as much as $111.25 million with incentives, including $63.2 million guaranteed. Update: The Dolphins restructured his contract, clearing out $14.6 million in space.

▪ The metrics: He had just one sack and seven tackles in his final 200 regular-season snaps as a Dolphin. Had 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks in eight regular-season games for Miami. That’s the least productive stretch of his five-year career.

He had one forced fumble (on a key play late) and one tackle in 28 snaps of the playoff game, while limited by hand and ankle injuries.

PFF ranked him 60th of 119 edge rushers last season. As for quarterback pressures, he finished 26th among NFL edge players with 51 — well below teammate Phillips’ 77 and NFL leaders Micah Parsons (90) and Nick Bosa (89).

▪ The future: There’s optimism that Fangio, who got the most out of Chubb in Denver, will get the most out of him in Miami. The Dolphins hope they will get the Denver version, a player who had 26 sacks in 49 games.

ANDREW VAN GINKEL

▪ The contract: Unrestricted free agent.

▪ The metrics: PFF rated him 34th of 119 edge players.

He had 11 pressures in just 106 pass rushing snaps.

He had a sterling 52.1 passer rating in his coverage area, allowing 10 of 13 passes to be caught for 56 yards and an interception and no touchdowns.

But he played just 334 defensive snaps (29 percent of Miami’s defensive snaps), compared with 801 (71 percent) the previous season. That would largely explain the drop in tackles from 71 to 47 and the drop in sacks from 4.0 to 0.5.

▪ The future: Van Ginkel has been productive in four years here but might find more money and more playing time elsewhere.

MELVIN INGRAM

▪ The contract: Unrestricted free agent.

▪ The metrics: PFF rated his 41st of 119 edge players. He had 22 tackles and six sacks in 17 games and three starts. But he had no sacks in his final six games, when his playing time diminished somewhat.

But… PFF rated him 22nd among all edge players as a pass rusher; he had 38 pressures in 325 pass rushing snaps.

He defended nine passes in coverage and allowed eight completions for 71 yards but no touchdowns.

▪ The future: If he returns, it likely would be closer to a minimum deal than the $5 million he earned this season.

If Van Ginkel and/or Ingram leave, the Dolphins will need a veteran edge player to back up Phillips, Chubb and defensive end Ogbah, who can all be deployed different ways in Fangio’s scheme, which has a 3-4 base but is multiple. But Miami can’t afford to spend a lot on backup edge players.

Here’s my Wednesday media column on coverage of Tua Tagovailoa.