How the Dolphins Can Create Cap Space

Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa is among the players whose contracts could be revisited this offseason to create cap space

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) walks off the field after the Week 16 victory against the San Francisco 49ers. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

There's always a way.

This is what Miami Dolphins fans always need to remember as they see their current salary-cap situation and start wondering how they possibly will get themselves in compliance and be able to make some roster moves in the offseason.

A couple of weeks removed from the end of their disappointing 2024 season, the Dolphins find themselves some $12-14 million over the salary cap for 2025 and they will need to be at or under the cap for the top 51 players (in terms of cap number) by the start of the new league year March 12.

The Dolphins currently have 49 players under contract for 2025, including the 12 players they signed to future contracts last week.

They also will be carrying $17.1 million of dead cap space, topped by the $15.7 million cap number still belonging to cornerback Xavien Howard.

The two ways to create cap space are releasing players or restructuring/extending contracts to lower the cap numbers.

As is the case at the start of every offseason, the Dolphins have plenty of options in both scenarios.

DOLPHINS PLAYERS WHO COULD BECOME CAP CASUALTIES

The two most obvious players who jump out here because of their age or circumstances are tackle Terron Armstead and linebacker Bradley Chubb, though the savings with either player wouldn't take effect until June 1 for maximum savings.

The Dolphins would pick up $15 million against the cap by releasing Armstead with a post-June 1 designation and the amount would be $19 million for doing the same thing with Chubb, though again that space couldn't be used until June 1.

Both are terrific players, but Chubb is coming off a season spent rehabbing from his devastating 2023 knee injury and Armstead has contemplated retirement the past few offseasons.

Among regular potential cap casualties, it's awfully easy to look at running back Raheem Mostert, who became a non-factor in the second half of the 2024 season. The Dolphins would save almost $3 million of cap space by releasing him.

The Dolphins also could save a little more than $2 million of cap space by releasing tight end Durham Smythe, whose role greatly diminished in 2024 after he wound up third on the depth chart behind Jonnu Smith and Julian Hill.

One more that maybe would be surprising but would save the Dolphins an easy $1.4 million against the cap would be releasing 2022 top pick Channing Tindall, who still hasn't become a factor on defense after three NFL seasons.

For those wondering, releasing Tyreek Hill would have a nasty effect on the salary cap. The Dolphins would lose cap space along with carrying a $56 million cap number for him if they made him a regular cut; if they were to release him with a post-June 1 designation, the Dolphins still would lose cap space and carry $40.4 on the cap for a player no longer with the team. In other words, this is not happening (we don't think).

POTENTIAL EXTENSIONS OR CONTRACT RESTRUCTURES

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa currently has a cap number of about $39 million for the 2025 season, but it could be chopped in half with either a restructure or an extension, per overthecap.com, so that kind of move wouldn't be surprising. Also remember that Tua has his $56 million salary for 2026 become fully guaranteed if he's still on the roster on the third day of the 2025 league year, which is about as close to a lock as could be.

The other player who could help the Dolphins create cap space with a new contract, ironically, is none other than Hill, who just signed a new contract just this past August. The Dolphins could save some $7 million with another extension or by converting salary into bonus money and adding void years (though that pushes his cap charges down the road).

Instead of cutting Chubb and/or Armstead, the Dolphins could restructure their contracts (an extension probably doesn't make a ton of sense) and save around $10 million on Armstead's projected $22.8 million cap number and save around $13 million on Chubb's projected $29 million cap number.

Austin Jackson, who'll be coming off a knee injury, is another player whose contract easily could be redone because it includes a base salary of almost $11 million in 2025 with a cap number at about $13.5 million. The Dolphins could chop his cap number almost in half with a restructure or extension.

Finally, another player to watch is Zach Sieler, who has two years left on what has proven a very team-friendly contract considering how well played the past two seasons. He's got a cap number of $12.5 million for 2025, but the Dolphins could chop off some $5 million off that number by redoing his deal.

So, as explained earlier, the Dolphins have many avenues to explore to create cap space this offseason. Just like every year.