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Our Phinsider Mailbag received a great question this week from MiamiFins0324, who wants to know about the state of the Miami Dolphins' 2014 salary cap following the re-signing of Reshad Jones and Koa Misi. Obviously, the majority of the attention right now is on the 2-0 start for the Dolphins, but Tyson's question is one that we have not looked at since the announcement of those contract extensions. We fix that today.
With the 2013 regular season under way, the Top 51 rule is no longer in effect, meaning every dollar the team spends on players is calculated into the salary cap. The Dolphins currently have 53 players under contract on the roster, two players on injured reserve, eight players on the practice squad, and 26 players with dead money on the rolls.
Before we get into specifics, let me say one more thing. These numbers are a best guess at the actual salary cap number for each player. Bonuses that aren't known could end up being in the contract, which makes it hard to calculate an exact salary cap number. According to the current report from the NFL Players Association, the Dolphins are $19,231,815 under the salary cap right now. As you will see, my number if slightly above that. I would, of course, trust the NFLPA's number over mine, but I cannot calculate why the difference. So, when you use these numbers, understand they may not be exact, and there are some assumptions included in these (like the 2014 salary cap remaining $123M).
2013 53 Man Roster:
|
Player |
Salary Cap Number |
|
Randy Starks |
$8,450,000 |
|
Paul Soliai |
$7,375,000 |
|
Richie Incognito |
$5,383,334 |
|
Brent Grimes |
$5,031,250 |
|
Cameron Wake |
$5,015,000 |
|
Dimitri Patterson |
$4,600,000 |
|
Dion Jordan |
$3,740,420 |
|
Tyson Clabo |
$3,500,000 |
|
Mike Wallace |
$3,250,000 |
|
Ryan Tannehill |
$2,879,205 |
|
Chris Clemons |
$2,750,000 |
|
Mike Pouncey |
$2,525,371 |
|
Matt Moore |
$2,500,000 |
|
Dannell Ellerbe |
$2,425,000 |
|
Philip Wheeler |
$2,400,000 |
|
Brian Hartline |
$2,115,000 |
|
Jared Odrick |
$1,939,868 |
|
Brandon Gibson |
$1,785,000 |
|
Koa Misi |
$1,764,905 |
|
Vaughn Martin |
$1,675,000 |
|
Reshad Jones |
$1,670,075 |
|
Brandon Fields |
$1,645,000 |
|
John Jerry |
$1,537,625 |
|
Nate Garner |
$1,266,666 |
|
John Denney |
$1,093,750 |
|
Jonathan Martin |
$1,087,333 |
|
Jason Trusnik |
$931,666 |
|
Daniel Thomas |
$882,652 |
|
Nolan Carroll |
$677,939 |
|
Olivier Vernon |
$669,520 |
|
Jamar Taylor |
$659,300 |
|
Michael Egnew |
$652,239 |
|
R.J. Stanford |
$630,000 |
|
Lamar Miller |
$601,500 |
|
Charles Clay |
$583,000 |
|
Jimmy Wilson |
$566,475 |
|
Dallas Thomas |
$556,594 |
|
Danny Watkins |
$555,000 |
|
Will Yeatman |
$555,000 |
|
Tyler Clutts |
$555,000 |
|
Will Davis |
$535,300 |
|
Jelani Jenkins |
$523,172 |
|
Dion Sims |
$521,888 |
|
Rishard Matthews |
$493,402 |
|
Derrick Shelby |
$483,333 |
|
Marcus Thigpen |
$482,500 |
|
Jonathan Freeny |
$480,000 |
|
Pat Devlin |
$480,000 |
|
Josh Kaddu |
$480,000 |
|
Mike Gillislee |
$445,700 |
|
Caleb Sturgis |
$441,140 |
|
Don Jones |
$416,474 |
|
Kelcie McCray |
$408,333 |
|
53 Man Roster Total: |
$94,671,929 |
2013 Injured Reserve:
|
Player |
Salary Cap Number |
|
Dustin Keller |
$4,250,000 |
|
Armon Binns |
$480,000 |
|
Injured Reserve Total: |
$4,730,000 |
2013 Practice Squad:
|
Player |
Salary Cap Number |
|
Sam Brenner |
$102,000 |
|
Jordan Kovacs |
$102,000 |
|
Marvin McNutt |
$102,000 |
|
Kyle Miller |
$102,000 |
|
Brian Tyms |
$102,000 |
|
Jason Weaver |
$102,000 |
|
Devin Smith |
$96,000 |
|
Austin Davis |
$96,000 |
|
Practice Squad Total: |
$804,000 |
2013 Dead Money:
|
Player |
Salary Cap Number |
|
Karlos Dansby |
$2,325,000 |
|
Jake Long |
$1,600,000 |
|
Kevin Burnett |
$1,250,000 |
|
Richard Marshall |
$1,216,666 |
|
Vontae Davis |
$1,111,250 |
|
Davone Bess |
$750,000 |
|
Dan Carpenter |
$337,500 |
|
Clyde Gates |
$226,575 |
|
Josh Kaddu |
$140,055 |
|
Lance Louis |
$125,000 |
|
BJ Cunningham |
$79,650 |
|
Kheeston Randall |
$15,612 |
|
Kevyn Scott |
$6,000 |
|
Jeff Fuller |
$5,000 |
|
Chas Alecxih |
$5,000 |
|
Jarrell Root |
$3,334 |
|
Jacquies Smith |
$3,334 |
|
Dustin Waldron |
$3,334 |
|
Derek Moye |
$3,334 |
|
Terrell Sinkfield |
$2,500 |
|
Taylor Stockemer |
$2,000 |
|
Shelly Lyons |
$2,000 |
|
Les Brown |
$1,667 |
|
Robert McCabe |
$1,000 |
|
Clay Belton |
$1,000 |
|
Andrew McDonald |
$334 |
|
Dead Money Total: |
$9,217,145 |
That brings us to the actual calculation of the Dolphins' current salary cap number.
|
2013 NFL Salary Cap: |
$123,000,000 |
|
2012 Salary Rollover: |
$5,380,246 |
|
2013 Salary Cap Adjustment: |
$347,081 |
|
2013 Dolphins Salary Cap: |
$128,727,327 |
|
Salary Cap Number: |
$109,423,074 |
|
Remaining Cap Space: |
$19,304,253 |
Of course, none of this answers MiamiFins0324's original question, which was how the recently announced contract extensions impact the 2014 salary cap. But, we have to figure out the 2013 salary camp space in order to have an accurate projection of the 2014 cap space, because we have to be able to account for rolled over salary cap space.
Right now, the Dolphins are able to roll over a little over $19M into next year's salary cap.
To start breaking down the salary cap space for the Dolphins next year, Miami has 38 players under contract for next year, along with four players still carrying dead money in the salary cap.
2014 53 man roster:
|
Player |
Salary Cap Number |
|
Mike Wallace |
$17,250,000 |
|
Dannell Ellerbe |
$7,425,000 |
|
Cameron Wake |
$7,285,000 |
|
Philip Wheeler |
$6,400,000 |
|
Brian Hartline |
$6,210,000 |
|
Matt Moore |
$5,500,000 |
|
Dimitri Patterson |
$5,400,000 |
|
Dion Jordan |
$4,675,524 |
|
Brandon Gibson |
$3,735,000 |
|
Reshad Jones |
$3,610,000 |
|
Brandon Fields |
$3,586,116 |
|
Ryan Tannehill |
$3,454,182 |
|
Mike Pouncey |
$2,946,266 |
|
Koa Misi |
$2,328,000 |
|
Vaughn Martin |
$2,325,000 |
|
Jared Odrick |
$2,004,868 |
|
Nate Garner |
$1,791,666 |
|
Jonathan Martin |
$1,304,800 |
|
Jason Trusnik |
$1,071,667 |
|
Daniel Thomas |
$1,029,821 |
|
John Denney |
$975,087 |
|
Jamar Taylor |
$826,168 |
|
Olivier Vernon |
$759,520 |
|
Michael Egnew |
$742,239 |
|
Dallas Thomas |
$708,188 |
|
Lamar Miller |
$691,500 |
|
Charles Clay |
$673,000 |
|
Jimmy Wilson |
$656,475 |
|
Will Davis |
$625,300 |
|
Jelani Jenkins |
$613,172 |
|
Dion Sims |
$611,888 |
|
Rishard Matthews |
$583,403 |
|
Derrick Shelby |
$573,334 |
|
Kelcie McCray |
$573,334 |
|
Marcus Thigpen |
$572,500 |
|
Mike Gillislee |
$535,700 |
|
Caleb Sturgis |
$531,140 |
|
Don Jones |
$506,474 |
|
53 Man Roster Total (38 players): |
$101,091,332 |
2014 Dead Money:
|
Player |
Salary Cap Number |
|
Karlos Dansby |
$2,325,000 |
|
Kevin Burnett |
$1,250,000 |
|
Richard Marshall |
$1,216,666 |
|
Kheeston Randall |
$15,612 |
|
Dead Money Total: |
$4,807,278 |
Again, assuming the NFL's 2014 salary cap remains the same, and bringing the 2013 remaining $19,304,253 calculated above, we can estimate the Dolphins' salary cap space for 2014:
|
2014 NFL Salary Cap: |
$123,000,000 |
|
2013 Salary Rollover: |
$19,304,253 |
|
2014 Dolphins Salary Cap: |
$142,304,253 |
|
Salary Cap Number: |
$105,898,610 |
|
Remaining Cap Space: |
$36,405,643 |
If you followed all of that, you see, the Dolphins have around $36.4 million in cap space for 2014. Of course, any more contract extensions or free agent signings this year will impact that number. The team does have a long list of free agents to consider re-signing before the free agent market opens in March:
|
2014 Free Agents: |
|
Randy Starks |
|
Paul Soliai |
|
Richie Incognito |
|
Brent Grimes |
|
Tyson Clabo |
|
Chris Clemons |
|
John Jerry |
|
Nolan Carroll |
|
R.J. Stanford |
|
Danny Watkins |
|
Will Yeatman |
|
Tyler Clutts |
|
Jonathan Freeny |
|
Pat Devlin |
|
Josh Kaddu |
If you assume the Dolphins will need about the same amount of cap space to sign their 2014 Draft class, which adjusts for increased salary for each of the players, while acknowledging the Dolphins have fewer draft picks at this point, the Dolphins will need around $7.84 million for the rookies. That will leave $28,555,643 for free agency/re-signings.
To break down the 38 players by the positions they play, which could give an idea of where the Dolphins could be targeting in free agency or the draft in 2014, we have:
|
QB |
RB |
FB |
WR |
TE |
OT |
G |
C |
DE |
DT |
LB |
CB |
S |
P |
K |
LS |
|
|
2013 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
7 |
6 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
2014 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Difference: |
-1 |
0 |
-1 |
0 |
0 |
-2 |
-3 |
0 |
0 |
-2 |
-2 |
-3 |
-1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Hopefully, that gives MiamiFins0324, and everyone, a good look at about how much money the Dolphins will have to spend next March.
If you have a question for the Phinsider Mailbag, feel free to send it in to our mailbag email address: mail.thephinsider@gmail.com. We will be happy to answer your questions.
All salary cap data from NLFPlayers.com, Spotrac.com, and OvertheCap.com.
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