2022 Miami Dolphins free agents: Walk, tag, re-sign - Isaiah Ford

The NFL offseason is here for the Miami Dolphins, which means it is time to start planning for how the team prepares for 2022. Before we reach the frenzy of free agent signing and draft picks, we need to take a look at the Dolphins’ own players with expiring contracts. Will the Dolphins re-sign the player, place the franchise tag on him, or let him walk away in free agency? We try to decide for each player.

Our annual series taking a look at the soon-to-be free agents for the Miami Dolphins continues today as we move to our second player. Last week, we start the series with a look at running back Duke Johnson. Today, we move on to another member of the offense.

This series breaks down where the player is in his career, what he did last season for the Dolphins, and what could be expected of him in 2022 along with Miami’s rostered players at his position. We then try to decide if the Dolphins should allow the player to walk, use the franchise tag on him, or re-sign him.

Today, we take a look at wide receiver Isaiah Ford.

Background

Position: Wide receiver
Age (at start of 2022 season): 25
College: Virginia Tech
Years: 5 years
Contract: 1 year, $920,000

2021 Review

Ford was allowed to hit the free agent market last year, despite Miami still having restricted free agent rights to him. He signed with the Dolphins in mid-July, but was among the first round of roster cuts by the team in August. He joined the team’s practice squad the first week of September before being elevated for the team’s Week 5 contest, then was promoted to the active roster a couple of weeks later. He ultimately appeared in 13 games for Miami this past season, including two starts.

2021 stats: 12 receptions, 161 yards, 2 touchdowns

2022 Outlook

The Dolphins head into the offseason with DeVante Parker, Jaylen Waddle, and Allen Hurns under contract, while they signed Cody Core and Devonte Dedmon to a futures contract. Clearly, the position group has room for additional players. Ford is that developmental seventh-round pick who has turned into a decent depth player. A 2022 season would likely look very similar to his 2021 campaign, seeing time split between the practice squad and the active roster, getting some playing time but not someone who is going to become a focal point of an offense.

Walk, Tag, or Re-sign?

Ford was drafted by the Dolphins in 2017 and, since then, has been cut four times, had his contract expire twice, been signed to the practice squad five times, elevated from the practice squad three times, and traded to the New England Patriots once. No matter what happens in the Dolphins decision-making process this offseason, it seems like Ford will be around the team at some point this year. Miami can likely do the same thing with him as they did last year, looking to bring him back at some point in the offseason to serve as depth. For salary cap purposes, the team could look to sign him after Week 1, preventing his contract from becoming fully guaranteed so they have the practice squad-active roster flexibility with him if they decide to bring him back.

Verdict: Walk initially, then re-sign when/if depth is needed