Miami Dolphins Add a Veteran Starting Defensive Tackle

Miami Dolphins added a seventh defensive tackle this offseason in the hopes of replacing Christian Wilkins and Raekwon Davis, who both left as free agents

Tennessee Titans Teair Tart (93) makes an eating motion after a late first quarter tackle on / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY

The Miami Dolphins are collecting defensive tackles this offseason, which is seemingly a domino effect of losing Christian Wilkins and Raekwon Davis in free agency this spring.

Miami had previously signed Benito Jones, Jonathan Harris, Neville Gallimore, Daviyon Nixon and Isaiah Mack, and re-signed Da’Shawn Hand in an effort to replace Wilkins, who signed a massive four-year, $110 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, and Raekwon Davis, who landed a two-year, $14 millions deal with the Indianapolis Colts.

On Friday the Dolphins added former Florida International standout Teair Tart, who started 36 games for the Tennessee Titans after joining the NFL in 2020 as an undrafted rookie free agent. While detais of the agreement, which was first reported by Jordan Schultz, were not disclosed, it’s believed that Tart’s contract will be close to the NFL’s minimum salary.

Last year the Philadelphia native signing a one-year, $4.3 million deal as a restricted-free-agent qualifying offer last spring.

Tart, who started nine of 11 games for the Tennessee Titans in 2023 before having a falling out with the team and demanding his release, has recorded 79 tackles and 2.5 sacks, pulled down one interception, and deflected seven passes in the 47 regular season games he’s played.

The Philadelphia native was scheduled to hit free agency this offseason after signing a one-year, $4.3 million restricted-free-agent tender last spring. But his relationship with the Titans soured in part due to his lack of conditioning, according to multiple reports.

The Titans eventually released him late in the season and he played two games for the Texans, where he contributed on 29 snaps.

According to multiple reports, the Texans had hoped to re-sign the nose tackle and Tart visited with the Cincinnati Bengals this week, before signing with Miami.

Tart now becomes the seventh defensive tackle who will audition to become Zach Sieler’s new partner. The unit is made of us the seven offseason signings (including Hand), Sieler and Brandon Pili, a former USC product who Miami was grooming on the practice squad last season.

While it’s unclear what type of defensive front or scheme the Dolphins will be running under new coordinator Anthony Weaver, it’s been made abundantly clear that anyone in the NFL who wants a defensive tackle deal needs to bat an eye at the Dolphins.

Miami's success in finding a defensive tackle who could ease the departure of Wilkins during the offseason training program could impact how the Dolphins operate early in the 2024 NFL draft.