While there have been a lot of changes to the Miami Dolphins’ roster in the last week, the defense seems to be staying the same. Head coach Mike McDaniel kept defensive coordinator Josh Boyer in his role, so it’s not all that surprising that they want continuity.
One of Miami’s free agents who received a new contract with the team was linebacker Sam Eguavoen.
Eguavoen, 29, was originally signed by the Dolphins in 2019 after a three-year career in the CFL with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He played 56% of the defensive snaps in that first season but has played just 12% since then, as most of his playing time is on special teams.
Now, Eguavoen returns to the Dolphins on a one-year deal that will pay him $1.69 million with $800,000 guaranteed in the form of a signing bonus and guaranteed salary. The linebacker also has a per game roster bonus of $340,000.
For a depth linebacker/special teams player, the number may be a little high, but it’s not a lock that Eguavoen makes the team. If they were to release him before the start of the season, they could save $890,000.
It seems likely that Eguavoen, like a lot of the players the Dolphins have re-signed, is getting a one-year opportunity to prove how he plays in a system that doesn’t have Brian Flores as a vocal leader. If he doesn’t produce, they simply move on in a year.