Live updates: Dolphins lose four, restructure five players, add center, 2 linebackers

Welcome to The Miami Herald’s Dolphins/NFL free agency blog. Teams can begin striking (unwritten) deals with players from other teams at noon on Monday and can begin signing players from other teams at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Teams can re-sign their own free agents at any time.

Dolphins standouts Christian Wilkins and guard Robert Hunt are poised to receive mega deals in a competitive open market.

We will have live updates throughout the day all week. Please keep checking back for updates.

We’ll place the latest news above older news.

8:20 p.m.: The Dolphins potentially added a new starting center on Monday night, agreeing to a three-year, $21 million deal with Tennessee’s Aaron Brewer, as NFL Network first reported.

But Brewer has position versatility. He played 252 snaps at left guard, 209 at right guard and 13 at center in 2021, per PFF. In 2022: he played 908 snaps at left guard and 123 at center. Last year, he played all 1049 snaps at center.

If he plays center as expected, he would replace Connor Williams, who was very effective before sustaining a torn ACL in a December game against Tennessee. Williams also can play guard (as he did for the Dallas Cowboys), so his return cannot altogether be ruled out.

Pro Football Focus rated Brewer the 11th best center among 36 qualifiers last season; Williams was rated second.

PFF rated Brewer seventh as a run blocker; he’s mobile and fits Miami’s zone blocking scheme.

Brewer permitted six sacks (second most among centers) and 34 pressures (third most) in 622 pass blocking snaps. Williams, conversely, permitted one sack and six pressures in 280 pass blocking snaps.

Undrafted out of Texas State in 2020, he was the Titans’ starter the past two seasons.

7:13 p.m.: The Dolphins have added their second inside linebacker on the first day of the legal tampering period. Miami agreed to terms with former Seattle Seahawk Jordyn Brooks on a three-year deal with a maximum value of $30 million, NFL Network reported.

Brooks, 26, was a first-round pick in the 2020 Draft, and has three straight seasons of 100 or more tackles. He had a career-high 4.5 sacks in the 2023 season. He joins new Dolphin Anthony Walker, David Long Jr., Duke Riley and Channing Tindall in the inside linebacker room.

6:15 p.m. update: The Dolphins restructured the contracts of Jalen Ramsey and three others on Monday, freeing up $28.78 million in cap space, in addition to the $8 million or so in cap space that will now be available after Terron Armstead’s contract conversion is official.

That leaves Miami cap compliant two days before Wednesday’s 4 p.m. deadline. Miami is believed to have more than $8 million in space after these moves.

The Ramsey restructure freed up $19.2 million in cap space.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Dolphins converted base salary into prorated bonuses on the contracts of Zach Sieler, Alex Ingold and Durham Smythe, clearing out an additional $9.6 million in space.

Miami entered the day about $25 million over the cap, per overthecap.com. Miami added Anthony Walker Jr. on Monday. But with the restructures for Ramsey, Armstead, Sieler, Ingold and Smythe, the Dolphins should have several million dollars in cap space that can be used whenever they wish.

They also will get an additional $18 million in cap space when Xavien Howard’s contract comes off their books on June 1.

Ramsey’s cap number was set to be $27.9 million this season. His new cap number will be $8.7 million, based on an NFL Network report.

5:38 p.m.: The Dolphins have made their first outside addition since the legal tampering period opened, agreeing to terms with former Browns inside linebacker Anthony Walker on a one-year deal.

Walker, 28, is a Miami native who played high school football at Monsignor Edward Pace in Miami Gardens. Walker started 12 games last season, recording 44 tackles and four pass breakups. In seven seasons, Walker has 75 starts. Walker, a fifth-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts, replaces Jerome Baker, who was cut last week, and teams up with David Long Jr. at inside linebacker.

5:20 p.m.: Terron Armstead’s contract restructure is now official. His $20.8 million cap hit for 2024 is expected to shrink to the $12 million range.

Miami still must clear out at least $17 million more off its cap to be cap compliant by Wednesday’s 4 p.m. deadline.

As we reported weeks ago, Armstead is not retiring. The Dolphins will have Armstead at left tackle and Austin Jackson at right tackle in 2024. But the interior of the line remains unresolved at this hour.

4:55 p.m.: It has been a depressing first five hours of free agency, with Miami losing Christian Wilkins, Brandon Jones, Andrew Van Ginkel and Robert Hunt - in that order - and not agreeing to terms with a single free agent.

But Tyreek Hill suggests hope is not lost. “I know Grier in his bag secretly right now, so I’m not tripping,” Hill said a short time ago on the social media platform X.

Based on players who started last season and are no longer under contract, Miami needs two more starting defensive linemen, a starting inside linebacker, a starting safety, a starting cornerback, three starting offensive linemen, a backup left tackle and three backup receivers.

The Dolphins are expected to fill some of these needs with cheap veterans. They’ll look for some now and again after June 1, when Miami can use the $18 million in cap savings gained by Xavien Howard’s release.

3:25 p.m.: The Dolphins, as expected, are losing guard Robert Hunt. He’s planning to sign a five-year, $100 million deal with the Carolina Panthers, with $63 million guaranteed.

Miami could sign a cheap veteran right guard or have Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones and possibly Lester Cotton compete for the job.

3:15 p.m.: Some perspective on the gutting that the Dolphins defense has received: In two weeks, the Dolphins have lost four of the seven best defensive players they’ve drafted over the past eight years (Xavien Howard, Christian Wilkins, Jerome Baker, Andrew Van Ginkel).

A fifth, Minkah Fitzpatrick, was dealt after he and Brian Flores couldn’t agree on how to use him. Two of the Dolphins’ top seven defensive draft picks over that time span remain with the team: Jaelan Phillips and Jevon Holland.

2:52 p.m. update: The Dolphins have lost their third defender, and third player overall, on the first day of the NFL’s legal tampering period. Outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel is signing a two-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings for $20 million and $14 million guaranteed, according to ESPN.

There was a mutual interest in Van Ginkel returning to Miami but his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said Van Ginkel would have multiple suitors after a career-high six sacks in 2023. Van Ginkel reunites with former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, the Vikings’ defensive coordinator.

Miami will likely need to add at least two outside linebackers this offseason, as starters Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips are rehabbing from significant leg injuries they sustained in the second half of the 2023 season. Their availability for the start of the 2024 season is unknown.

2:05 p.m. update: The Dolphins aren’t done having to deal with new Jaguars receiver Gabe Davis, who has tormented Miami for years. Jacksonville plays Miami at Hard Rock Stadium this upcoming season.

Davis has more receptions (17) and receiving yards (296) against Miami than against any other team, plus four touchdowns, which ties his most against any team. Those numbers were amassed in eight games.

2 p.m.: Overthecap’s Nick Korte said Miami likely will get a third round compensatory pick in 2025 as a result of losing Christian Wilkins to the Raiders.

1:25 p.m. update: Standout defensive tackle Christian Wilkins is leaving the Dolphins for a four-year, $110 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, according to NFL Network. The deal includes $84.75 million guaranteed.

The Dolphins made an offer for Wilkins (believed to be above $20 million annually) but it didn’t approach what he will get from the Raiders -- a deal averaging $27.5 million annually.

Miami could get a mid-round compensatory draft pick in 2025 for losing him, unless it signs someone to a contract of similar value, which is unlikely.

Wilkins was a very good starter for five years and didn’t miss a game the past three seasons. He had a career high nine sacks last season and was a key piece of a running game that allowed just 3.8 yards per carry, which ranked in the top five in the league.

1:15 p.m.: Safety Brandon Jones, who developed into one of the NFL’s best blitzing safeties and a competent cover man, is leaving for a three-year deal with the Denver Broncos, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler first reported. The contract is worth $20 million and potentially as much as $22.5 million, per Jordan Schultz.

The Dolphins expressed interest in re-signing Jones before the start of free agency but did not feel the urgency to try to get him under contract before free agency started.

The former third-round pick of the Dolphins appeared in 54 games and started 30 for Miami. He had 238 tackles, eight sacks and three interceptions.

12:40 p.m.: Keep an eye on the Dolphins with regard to former Miami Hurricanes safety Rashawn Jenkins, according to NFL Net’s Mike Garofolo.

Jenkins, 30, is visiting Seattle this week. He had 101 tackles, two interceptions and a sack for the Jacksonville Jaguars this past season and has 10 interceptions in a seven-year career. Jacksonville released him last Tuesday. Miami is looking for safety help; DeShon Elliott and Brandon Jones are free agents.

Miami has expressed interest in keeping Jones; it’s unclear what their plans are with Elliott.

Noon update: The free agent floodgates are open. The expectation is Christian Wilkins will get a deal in the $25 million per year range and Robert Hunt a deal well over $15 million per year. Those have been salary figures that the Dolphins haven’t been comfortable with, at least as of a couple days ago.

The Vikings, 49ers and Browns are teams to watch on Wilkins, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

11:50 a.m.: Speculation is growing that Miami could pursue Baltimore linebacker Patrick Queen. The Dolphins like him; the question is whether they can afford him with their current salary cap predicament. He and new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver worked together in Baltimore, and he would be the ideal replacement for Jerome Baker.

10:15 a.m. update: The Dolphins’ need to re-sign Andrew Van Ginkel is probably greater than it has ever been, considering the uncertainty about the early-season availability of edge players Bradley Chubb (Dec. 31 torn ACL) and Jaelan Phillips (Nov. 25 ruptured Achilles).

So where do things stand between the Dolphins and Van Ginkel?

“There is mutual interest there,” his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said on his weekly WSVN-Fox 7 segment on Sunday night. “We expect there to be a strong market for Gink tomorrow. It’s up in the air any time you go into free agency.”

It’s no secret that Van Ginkel loves playing for the Dolphins and living in South Florida. But, like anyone, he wants fair market value; that’s among the reasons he hired Rosenhaus last fall.

The question is whether the Dolphins will come close enough to outside offers to convince him to stay. If Miami approaches an outside offer, the Dolphins can lobby him by citing the lack of a state income tax and the fact he wouldn’t need to uproot his family.

Van Ginkel had 69 tackles and six sacks in 17 games and 11 starts last season. His 53 quarterback pressures were most by any NFL edge player who pass rushed as few times as he did (321).

Former Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum, now with ESPN, recently predicted that Van Ginkel will command a three-year, $36 million contract, with $25 million guaranteed.

10 a.m. update: The Dolphins remain about $23 million over the cap and must be cap compliant by 4 p.m. Wednesday. The restructuring of Terron Armstead’s contract will clear out at least $8.3 million. Realistically, Miami needs to clear out more than $40 million in space to conduct offseason business.

One thing that’s hurting the Dolphins: dead money. Cornerback Byron Jones, who hasn’t been on the team in a year and hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2021, is counting $10 million against Miami’s 2024 cap. Jerome Baker, who was released recently, is counting $4.9 million against the 2024 cap.

Without those two - combined with the money to be saved on the Armstead restructuring - Miami would be at the cap, not well over.

Impending unrestricted free agent receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. has a $2.5 million cap charge this season.

9:45 a.m. update: Tight end Jonnu Smith’s contract has been posted on a web site available to agents, and he will pocket at least $4 million this season (a $2.8 million signing bonus and a $1.2 million base salary). His $3.5 million salary for 2025 is not guaranteed.

The two-year deal is worth $8.4 million, Houston-based NFL writer Aaron Wilson first noted. His cap number will be very modest this season ($2.1 million).

Please check back all day and all week for updates on this live blog.