2017 NFL Free Agency: Dion Sims - Re-sign, tag, walk

NFL Free Agency is just over a month away, with 2016 contracts expiring at 4pm ET on March 9. Anyone who is not under contract for the 2017 season will be able to begin signing with new teams - barring any restricted free agent tenders that have been placed on players with less than four years of service time in the league. Over the next few weeks, teams all across the league will be trying to re-sign their own players to new contracts in an effort to prevent players they want to keep from testing the open market.

For the Miami Dolphins, that decision has to be made for 20 players. We have been asking you as fans of the team to provide your thoughts on what the Dolphins should do for each of their upcoming free agents. We break down the history of the player, what they did for the team in 2016, the terms of their expiring contract, the estimated value for the franchise tag, and then as you to vote on the decision the team should make.

This morning, we take a look at tight end Dion Sims.

Player history

Sims was a 2013 fourth-round pick of the Dolphins coming out of Michigan State. As a rookie, Sims appeared in 15 games, starting five times, but only caught six passes for 32 yards and a touchdown, working primarily as a blocking tight end. He saw more of a role as a pass catcher in his second season, catching 24 passes for 284 yards with two touchdowns in 14 games played with two starts. Sims’ third year with the Dolphins began with a concussion in Week 1 that sidelined him for multiple games before he was slowly brought back into the offense - he finished the 2015 season with 18 receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown in 13 games played with four starts.

2016 Season

Sims’ 2016 season saw his biggest role with the team, taking over as the primary starting tight end when Jordan Cameron sustained a concussion that ended the former Pro Bowl selection’s season. Sims played in 14 games with 11 starts, catcying 26 passes for 256 yards with four touchdowns on the year.

Contract

Sims’ rookie contract, signed in 2013, was a four-year deal worth $2.6 million. His 2016 salary cap number was $1,787,888 (via overthecap.com).

Franchise tag

A tight end franchise tag will probably be around $10 million for one season.

The Phinsider thoughts

Sims has become an important piece of the team’s offense. The Dolphins could look to add a true “pass catching” threat from the tight end position this offseason, but Sims is developing into a solid all-around tight end, and could be re-signed to be the primary player at the position. The Dolphins should look to re-sign Sims, keeping him on the roster and not adding more holes to the roster, especially given that every tight end on the roster is currently scheduled to be a free agent this offseason.

Fan vote

What should the Dolphins do with Sims? Vote below and feel free to discuss in the comments.