What Really Happened with Van Ginkel

Former Miami Dolphins linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel is off to a great start with the Minnesota Vikings.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) is sacked by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (43) during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium last Sunday. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins could use Andrew Van Ginkel these days, considering his torrid start with the Minnesota Vikings.

And, contrary to popular belief, the Dolphins could have kept him this offseason if they really had wanted to — even just a little bit.

It made for a great story to suggest that Van Ginkel all along wanted to return to the Midwest — he's from Rock Valley, Iowa — and that his departure was a foregone conclusion. And, of course, Van Ginkel said all the right things about loving to be going home after he signed with the Vikings.

But it's not quite that simple.

According to a league source, Van Ginkel really wanted to stay in Miami, the only NFL home he'd known after arriving as a 2019 fifth-round pick, but the Dolphins simply made no effort to keep him.

As in, none.

Early in the process, the Dolphins made it clear to Van Ginkel's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, that they were going to let him leave as a free agent and that no offer would be forthcoming.

So Van Ginkel, who had rejoined the Dolphins as a UFA in 2023 on a one-year deal, eventually signed with Minnesota, getting a two-year deal worth $20 million, including $13 million guaranteed, with a cap number of $3.4 million for 2024 and $12.4 million for 2025, according to overthecap.com.

Van Ginkel has played a big role in the Vikings' 3-0 start, a start fueled by a defense run by former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores that's second in the NFL in points allowed after victories against the New York Giants (28-6), San Francisco 49ers (23-17) and Houston Texans (34-7).

Van Ginkel had a sack in each of the first three games and a pick-six in the victory against the Giants in the season opener.

WHERE THE DOLPHINS WENT AT VAN GINKEL'S SPOT

Letting Van Ginkel leave via free agency — at least without some effort to retain him — seems like an odd choice for the Dolphins, considering the 2023 injuries to their two starting outside linebackers, Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb.

The Dolphins wound up signing veteran Shaq Barrett to a one-year, $7 million, though his signing bonus was spread out with the addition of void years on the contract to lower his cap number. That didn't matter anyway because Barrett decided to retire shortly before the start of training camp — Barrett, who is on the Dolphins' Reserve/Retired list, still carries a $1.1 million dead cap charge.

Barrett's retirement enticed the Dolphins to bring back Emmanuel Ogbah, whom they had released in the offseason as a cap move, this time on a one-year, $3.2 million deal.

Between Barrett's signing and Ogbah's re-signing, the Dolphins further addressed the outside linebacker position in the draft by taking Chop Robinson in Round 1 and Mohamed Kamara in Round 5.

Through the first three weeks of the regular season — and understanding that circumstances are different in Miami and Minnesota — Van Ginkel easily has been the most productive defender of the bunch, and it's hard to argue with the idea he'd be the best Dolphins edge defender right now.

With three sacks, Van Ginkel already is halfway to matching his career high, which he accomplished last season with the Dolphins.

As it turns out, Van Ginkel had hoped it wouldn't be his last season with the Dolphins. And the team may wish the same thing now.