Breaking Down the Eichenberg Contract Details ... And What It Means

The 2021 second-round pick was re-signed to a one-year deal last week

Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark (97) goes face to face with Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg (74) at Lambeau Field. / Dan Powers -Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins' decision to re-sign 2021 second-round pick Liam Eichenberg elicited a strong reaction from fans, but his contract showed it was a low-risk move.

Based on figures posted by overthecap.com, Eichenberg's one-year deal is for $2.06 million and fully guaranteed. His cap number is $1.38 million, making it the 30th-highest for the Dolphins at this time. The Dolphins were able to lower his salary cap thanks to the Veteran Salary Benefit (VSB), which allows teams to offer a player with four accrued seasons additional money beyond the veteran minimum at no extra cap charge.

Eichenberg also got a $167,500 signing bonus, per overthecap.com.

For comparison purposes, Eichenberg had a $4.2 million cap number in 2024, according to spotra.com, in the final year of his rookie contract. That figure was the highest Dolphins interior offensive linemen last season.

His new cap number not his lower than his own from last season, but also those of fellow guards Isaiah Wynn and Robert Jones, who left this offseason via free agent to join the Dallas Cowboys.

To put simply, Eichenberg's new deal doesn't look a starter-type contract, and it's also not a very high price to pay with a veteran with 52 starts who the ability to play every position on the line.

The Dolphins were — or at least should have been — looking for an upgrade at both guard spots in the offseason and got at least one new starter in James Daniels, and they could add another in the second or third wave of free agency or in the draft.

Eichenberg would be a fall-back option if that pursuit fails.

In an ideal scenario, though, Eichenberg will be a backup, and the fact he settled for that kind of contract suggests he understands his situation because he clearly got a backup-type contract.

WHY FANS MIGHT NOT LIKE IT

As the longest continuing starter on an offensive line that’s been on the receiving end of a lot of criticism, Eichenberg has been an easy target for fans tired of watching Dolphins running backs getting stuffed in short-yardage situation or quarterbacks getting pressured up the middle.

The Dolphins paid a price to land Eichenberg in the second round of the 2021 draft, surrendering a future third-round pick to the New York Giants to move up from 50th to 42nd overall for the change to select Eichenberg out of Notre Dame.

Despite the fact he started 52 games the past four seasons, it’s fair to suggest Eichenberg has yet to validate the draft capital investment the Dolphins made in him. Without question, Grier would love Eichenberg to have a breakout 2025 season to help in that regard.

But personnel moves aren’t made strictly to make a previous decision look better, no matter what fans might think.

Dolphins coaches repeatedly have said the past couple of seasons that they liked their offensive linemen because of how hard they worked and they wanted to reap the rewards of the expected improvement.

More importantly, Eichenberg has position versatility that’s borderline unparalleled, having already lined up at every position on the offensive line.

There were two reasons to think Eichenberg would have wanted to play elsewhere in 2025 if the opportunity presented itself, both stemming from how he was used last season.

And that’s not even counting the potential desire to get aware from a fan base that clearly didn’t have his back.

The first reason previously was referenced, and that was the Dolphins moving him all over the offensive line. It may have increased his value to the team in a big-picture type of way, but it also maybe stunted his growth at any one spot.

The most egregious example came last summer when Eichenberg was projected as the starting right guard, but then was switched to center during training camp while newcomer Aaron Brewer was sidelined with a finger injury.

Once Brewer returned, Eichenberg was back as the starting right guard, and that’s how the Dolphins opened the season.

The argument could be made it might have helped Eichenberg to just leave at guard while Brewer was sidelined and have somebody else on the roster take the first-team snaps at center.

And then one would think Eichenberg wasn’t too pleased when he went from starter at right guard to platooning after Isaiah Wynn finally returned from his 2023 quad injury, with the two of them rotating series in the final three games.

So why would Eichenberg want more of this?

In any event, the Dolphins and Eichenberg are back together again, whether Miami fans like it or not.

If he’s an opening-day starter again in 2025, you can expect fans to voice their displeasure.

If he winds up being a top backup, then the Dolphins will have lived up to the idea of improving the interior of the offensive line and secured an experienced security blanket.

And if that ends up how it plays out, then there’s no reason for this transaction to be controversial or polarizing.

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