Dolphins Releasing Byron Jones Next Week

The Miami Dolphins decision to part ways with cornerback Byron Jones has long been expected

In news that should surprise no one who's been paying attention, the Miami Dolphins are planning to release veteran cornerback Byron Jones at the start of the league year.

The long-anticipated decision of cutting Jones with a post-June 1 designation was reported Tuesday afternoon by ESPN's Adam Schefter and confirmed by a league source.

The post-June 1 designation will clear more than $13 million of cap space for the Dolphins and make Jones free to sign with any team when he's released. The Dolphins are $17.7 million over the cap based on the most recent figures.

Given his recent Twitter post updating his current status, it's fair to wonder whether Jones will be signing with another team anytime soon.

In that post, a reply to an NFL tweet reflecting on his incredible 2014 combine performance, Jones said he still couldn't run or jump as a result of the leg injury that sidelined him for the entire 2022 season.

Much has changed in 8 years. Today I can’t run or jump because of my injuries sustained playing this game. DO NOT take the pills they give you. DO NOT take the injections they give you. If you absolutely must, consult an outside doctor to learn the long-term implications. https://t.co/g5TTHDQGSY

— Byron Jones (@TheByronJones) February 25, 2023

More than anything, Jones' cap number always made him a likely candidate to get released this offseason.

BYRON JONES' TIME WITH THE DOLPHINS

Jones originally joined the Dolphins in 2020 when the team made him at the time the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL with a five-year, $82 million contract.

The deal was restructured last offseason, adding two void years and reducing his 2022 salary to $1.2 million, per overthecap.com. None of his base salary was guaranteed in 2023 or 2024, the final year of the original contract.

Before he was sidelined in 2022, Jones did some good work for the Dolphins, pairing with Xavien Howard to give Miami one of the best cornerback tandems in the NFL, even if the metrics didn't reflect that — his opponent passer rating when targeted was over 100 in each of his first two seasons with Miami.

Jones had two interceptions in 2020, matching his total for his five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.

He posted a picture (now deleted) on social media in March of 2022 when he had surgery, setting the stage for a year of questions about his status.

Jones never did return after that surgery and now his time with the Dolphins is over.

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