The Miami Dolphins opened the NFL offseason floodgates Sunday by acquiring star cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Los Angeles Rams.
Miami sent this year’s No. 77 pick and tight end Hunter Long to Los Angeles for the three-time All-Pro, who has three years remaining on his contract.
The Miami Herald‘s Barry Jackson explained how Ramsey’s contract will affect Miami’s cap situation. He wrote that the Dolphins can lower his $17 million cap hit “considerably” by converting some of the 28-year-old’s salary into a signing bonus.
Jackson estimates that the Dolphins can begin free agency with $24 million in cap space, and he believes they can free up at least $10 million more with other “simple moves.”
In other words, the Dolphins probably aren’t done improving their roster.
Before they acquired Ramsey, ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques said the Dolphins planned to clear $13.6 million in cap space by designating cornerback Byron Jones as a post-June 1 cut. That could allow them to extend defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and locate at least one running back to replace free agents Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr., and Myles Gaskin.
Miami has stockpiled its roster around Tua Tagovailoa in recent years. If the quarterback plays after suffering two reported concussions last season, the Dolphins could emerge as a legitimate title contender in 2023.