Dolphins restructure William Hayes contract, cut it to one-year

The Miami Dolphins and defensive end William Hayes have agreed to a contract restructure that will lower his salary cap number in 2017 while allowing him to become a free agent in 2018. The deal, which was reported by ESPN’s Field Yates, essentially removes the 2018 year from the contract, while giving Hayes a signing bonus and more guaranteed money this season.

Hayes’ salary cap number falls from $5.5 million this season to $4.75 million. It is broken out with a $2 million signing bonus, a $2.7 million base salary and a $500,000 workout bonus. His previous contract would have paid him $3.5 million in base salary with a $2 million roster bonus. He would have been scheduled to make $5 million in 2018.

The Dolphins sent the Los Angeles Rams a sixth round pick for Hayes and a seventh-round selection on Friday. He will join Cameron Wake, Andre Branch, Terrence Fede, Dion Jordan, Julius Warmsley, and Arthur Miley in the defensive ends group for Miami. A nine-year veteran, Hayes has 312 career tackles, 34.5 sacks, one interception, five passes defensed, seven forced fumbles, and five fumble recoveries in his career. He spent the last five years with the Rams, with four seasons with the Tennessee Titans preceding his St. Louis/Los Angeles years.