Miami Dolphins free agents 2017: Re-sign, tag, walk Jermon Bushrod

After the Super Bowl, Jason Taylor being selected as a 2017 Hall of Fame member, and the fun of mock draft season officially taking over, we have had a few days off from our review of the Miami Dolphins’ upcoming free agents. We get back to them today, continuing our question of whether the Dolphins should re-sign, franchise tag, or allow a player to walk away from the team when free agency begins.

NFL free agency begins in just over a month, 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.

The Dolphins have 20 players about whom they need to make decisions. 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 resume with a look at guard Jermon Bushrod.

Player history

Bushrod was originally a fourth-round pick in 2007 out of Towson University, joining the New Orleans Saints. During the 2007 and 2008 season, he only appeared in three games, but he became the Saints starting left tackle in 2009 and held the position through the 2012 season, earning two Pro Bowl selections in that span, playing in 63 games over those four games, with 62 starts. He moved to the Chicago Bears in 2013, playing left tackle for them as well, with 42 appearances including 34 starts over three seasons.

2016 Season

Bushrod joined the Dolphins in March 2016, earning the starting right guard position, where he started all 16 games for the team, one of only two offensive lineman (Ja’Wuan James) to play every game for the Dolphins this past season.

Contract

Bushrod signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract this past season (via overthecap.com).

Franchise tag

An offensive lineman franchise tag will probably be around $15 million for one season.

The Phinsider thoughts

Bushrod was the most available offensive lineman this year and did a decent job of upgrading the right guard position, despite having played left tackle for nearly his entire career. That said, Miami should be looking to upgrade the position again this year, installing a true guard into the spot. Bushrod, who will be moving into his 11th season in the league, can absolutely provide depth options for Miami, and would be able to play tackle or guard if the Dolphins need him. A re-sign here makes sense to provide quality depth, or to challenge whomever Miami signs or drafts for the right guard spot.

Fan vote

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