The Dolphins must strike the right balance between urgency and smart spending.

After restructuring the contracts of Terron Armstead and Bradley Chubb, the Miami Dolphins created some flexibility and are expected to enter free agency with roughly $25 million in cap space.

While the Dolphins can restructure contracts or extend players to create even more space, they have enough room to address some of the roster’s largest needs once free agency begins. Signings become official when the new league year starts on March 12, but players can begin negotiating with franchises at noon on March 10.

Miami won’t be a big spender, but major holes need to be addressed early in free agency.

Offensive Line

Only 19 guards across the NFL have an average annual salary of over $10 million, but that number will quickly rise once free agency begins. Trey Smith, expected to be the top guard on the market, was franchise-tagged by the Kansas City Chiefs for $23 million, thinning the supply before free agency began.

Miami’s options will include projects like Teven Jenkins and Mekhi Becton, along with established vets like Kevin Zeitler and Aaron Banks. Although players hit free agency for various reasons, the open market will drive up prices — especially when every team needs help in the trenches.

We’ve learned that the market is the market, and guard is one position the Dolphins can’t afford to whiff on if they hope to return to the playoffs in 2025.

Quarterback

Miami’s plan at backup quarterback was a failure last season. The offense failed to reach 16 points in four of the six games where Tua Tagovailoa was out of the lineup. While the hope is that Tagovailoa is more available next season, the Dolphins need a solid backup plan behind a quarterback who’s played 13 or fewer games in four of his five seasons in the NFL.

“That’s a position we will always focus on,” general manager Chris Grier said on Jan. 7, “and it will be a position that we will focus on this offseason. I will tell you that every stone will be unturned.”

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While Grier added that they were “in on a number of top-flight backup quarterbacks” last offseason, he also mentioned financial restraints and “compensatory pick stuff.” Considering how the position derailed the 2024 season, attempting to salvage a pick at the end of the third round doesn’t justify ignoring a glaring weakness.

Former Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota has already been linked to the Dolphins. Options like Zach Wilson or Cooper Rush may not sound appealing, but both have five or more games with two touchdown passes. Skylar Thompson, who started last season as the backup quarterback, has only thrown one regular-season touchdown pass across ten career appearances.

Safety

The Dolphins currently have two safeties under contract. Patrick McMorris, a 2024 sixth-round pick, played 106 snaps last season. Jordan Colbert, a 2024 undrafted free agent, spent his first season on the practice squad.

Miami’s lack of answers creates a compelling case to re-sign Jevon Holland, but his projected salary of $15 million — or more — is a bit much to stomach in a league where six safety contracts exceed that threshold annually.

The Dolphins can find a cost-effective solution if they act quickly once legal tampering begins. While a team will pay Holland to be a defensive pillar, capable starters will be available for much less. DeShon Elliot, who was stout for the Dolphins in 2023, signed a two-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers worth $3 million annually before starting 14 games last season.