The start of NFL free agency is under a week away now, and teams around the league have begun making decisions that will affect their roster for 2022 and beyond.
For the Miami Dolphins, they have 25 pending unrestricted, restricted or exclusive-rights free agents that are expected to hit the market next week, including defensive back Jason McCourty.
McCourty, who started his career off at cornerback, has moved into more of a safety role in recent years. He signed a one-year deal worth $1.2 million with the Dolphins this past offseason after spending the previous 12 seasons with the Titans, Browns, and Patriots.
In the first seven weeks of the 2021 season, the veteran started four games, playing 63% of the snaps, as his experience and leadership were recognized by his teammates and coaches. However, McCourty’s season was cut short due to a foot injury against the Atlanta Falcons.
Now, heading into 2022, the 34-year-old defensive back is set to be an unrestricted free agent, and the Dolphins have appeared to find some solid safeties. Jevon Holland shined bright in his rookie season, Brandon Jones showed he could bring some box-safety skills, and Eric Rowe continued to be decent while covering tight ends.
While Miami has a ton of cap space to throw around they might be looking to get someone younger or cheaper in the room than McCourty going forward. However, they could be looking to create even more cap space, and they could do so by moving on from Rowe to save just over $4.5 million, according to Over the Cap.
There’s a chance McCourty could be back, but it’s probably smarter to go another direction.