Dolphins preparing for undrafted rookie market. And the kicker, Wilkins, Tua questions

A six-pack of Miami Dolphins things we’re hearing on a Thursday:

▪ With only four picks in April’s NFL Draft, the Dolphins are trying to get a leg up in the undrafted rookie market - an area where they have found several helpful players in recent years.

The Dolphins have conveyed to at least a couple of offensive linemen that if they go undrafted, the team will be calling them and that they have a specific vision for them. One left guard who’s expected to go undrafted was given the team’s exact vision, which included being given a chance to compete for a starting job.

Because teams are not permitted to discuss financial terms with potential undrafted rookies at this point, the best way of getting an early edge with them is expressing interest, discussing their chances of making the team and having an assistant coach cultivate a relationship with them.

Dolphins cornerback Kader Kohou, a rookie hit last season, said Miami’s chances of landing him were helped by the fact that then-defensive coordinator Josh Boyer took time to reach out to him multiple times before the draft.

Ultimately, many undrafted rookies go to the team offering the most guaranteed money, and the Dolphins always make very competitive offers for the players they target.

The Dolphins have signed several undrafted players who started as rookies.

Undrafted rookies Nik Needham and Preston Williams started 11 and 7 games, respectively, in 2019, albeit in a rebuilding season. Williams subsequently moved on -- and is now out of the league -- but Needham is a valued member of the secondary.

Last year, undrafted rookie Kohou started 13 games at cornerback amid injuries to Byron Jones and Needham.

▪ The Dolphins have conveyed to at least one college kicker that they’re considering bringing in another kicker to OTAs and training camp.

Jason Sanders remains the front-runner for the job after hitting all three of his field goals in the Jets finale (including the game-winning 50-yarder with 18 seconds left that sent Miami to the playoffs) and then nailing all three of his field goals in the Buffalo playoff game.

Sanders slumped midway through last season - including two missed extra points Nov. 13 against Cleveland - but finished 26 of 32 on field goals and 41 of 44 on extra points.

Sanders has gone 2 for 6 on field goals of 50 yards or more each of the past two seasons (4 for 12 combined) after converting 12 of 15 such kicks in his first three seasons.

Keep in mind that $2.5 million of Sanders’ $3.4 million salary for 2023 is already guaranteed.

He has a $3.8 million cap hit for 2023, and if he’s cut, the cap hit would be $3.7 million if cut before June 1, or $2.9 million if cut after June 1.

▪ On Tuesday, we detailed more than a dozen draft prospects who will audition for the Dolphins on Friday. Add these four to that list:

1). Howard wide receiver Antoine Murray. The former Miramar High standout led the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference with 40 receptions last season and finished with 615 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He was an All-MEAC first team selection.

2). Holy Cross cornerback John Smith. The Lake Worth Park Vista High alum had 12 pass breakups last season and intercepted a pass in an FCS quarterfinal playoff game against New Hampshire. He was first-team All Patriot League the past three years.

3). Mississippi State defensive end Randy Charlton. The Miami Southridge High alum had four sacks each of the past two years for the Bulldogs - and 12 tackles for loss last season - after transferring from UCF, where he had four sacks in 26 games over three seasons.

4). Richmond receiver Leroy Henley. The 6-2 Henley - who played at both Cardinal Gibbons in Fort Lauderdale and Deerfield Beach High - was second in the Colonial Athletic Conference with 73 receptions last season, for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns. He spent his first three years at East Carolina.

▪ A Dolphins source said that while outsiders might make light of Tua Tagovailoa doing Jiu-Jitsu to help him learn how to fall, the team genuinely believes this could help him avoid concussions.

The source said that after the Christmas concussion against Green Bay, Tagovailoa was diligent in gathering medical information and medical input on his longterm health and was open minded about doing whatever doctors advised.

Once he was assured it was safe for him to continue playing, Tagovailoa decided to do so. But if they had advised him to stop playing, he would have considered it.

▪ Christian Wilkins’ representatives and the Dolphins have exchanged numbers in negotiations on a contract extension, according to a source. There was a gap as of last week, but there remains optimism that a deal will get done at some point.

Any extension could lower his $10.7 million 2023 cap hit.

▪ We’ve avoided any Tom Brady/Dolphins chatter this offseason because it’s generally pointless; the Dolphins are committed to Tagovailoa, and Brady has said he’s retired for good this time.

A source who speaks with Brady every now and then said he hasn’t asked Brady if he would consider the Dolphins if Tagovailoa sustains a season-ending injury at some point this season.

The source said he believes Brady, 45, could be tempted if the Dolphins called him in that specific scenario. Brady has two children enrolled in school in South Florida.

Several factors could impact Brady’s decision in that specific situation -- including whether he feels any desire to play part of one more season, whether the Dolphins looked like a legitimate Super Bowl contender and how long remained in the season at the time.

How backup quarterback Mike White plays in the immediate aftermath of a Tagovailoa injury would obviously shape the Dolphins’ level of interest in making an inquiry on Brady.

But this is the only scenario of Brady playing for the Dolphins that’s even worth discussing. And hopefully, for Tagovailoa’s health, it doesn’t happen.