Miami Dolphins taking steps to try to avoid more mistakes. And Dolphins’ cap space drops

A six-pack of Miami Dolphins notes on a Thursday:

▪ The Dolphins didn’t make a lot of mistakes in free agency last offseason but they’re determined to figure out reasons for the miscalculations that were made.

And that’s why the Dolphins have told people that they’re doing a self-analysis of the information used to select the players they pursued, which would assuredly include the regrettable decision to sign running back Jordan Howard.

Now let’s be clear: Armed with more than $80 million in cap space last March, the Dolphins made more good decisions than bad ones in free agency.

Kyle Van Noy, Emmanuel Ogbah and Shaq Lawson all were smart signings and all played well. Ogbah was one of the NFL’s best signings of the offseason by any team.

Center Ted Karras and guard Ereck Flowers were helpful pieces, though Miami bypassed at least one cheaper guard who graded out better than Flowers.

Would Miami sign Byron Jones for $82 million again if they had a mulligan? I would suspect not. There were several cheaper corners who played better than Jones in 2020. What’s more, Jones’ contract left Xavien Howard feeling underpaid and now poised to ask for more money in the days ahead.

Would the Dolphins, if given a do-over, sign Jordan Howard for $10 million ($5 million guaranteed) or trade for Matt Breida ($3.3 million last season)? Of course not. Howard ran for just 33 yards on 28 carries before being released.

In evaluating this deep class of wide receivers, it’s critical the Dolphins don’t make the same mistake they did with Jordan Howard, because cap space is tighter this spring and the Dolphins don’t have the cushion to afford another monumental miss on a player who was supposed to be a key part of their offense.

▪ The Dolphins didn’t sign a single player to a standard 2021 contract in February and yet somehow have lost about $8 million in cap space, leaving them with only about $25.4 million (according to the players union website) if the cap is $180 million. (The NFL announced the cap will be at least $180 million and there’s hope it will be a bit higher than that).

So how did that happen? According to league records conveyed to the Miami Herald, several Dolphins had their 2021 cap numbers rise from what had been listed for them in December NFL records. The primary reason for that? Those players cashed in on incentive clauses in 2020, thus raising their 2021 cap hits.

For example, DeVante Parker saw his 2021 cap number jump from $11 million to $12 million. Eric Rowe’s rose from $5.05 million to $6.05 million. Shaq Lawson’s also rose slightly. Jason Sanders’ extension costs the team less than $1 million in additional 2021 cap space.

The result is that Dolphins cap space is even more snug that expected, which likely will force the Dolphins either to cut several players or restructure contracts or both.

Another $18 million can be created if the Dolphins cut Bobby McCain, Albert Wilson, Jakeem Grant, Allen Hurns and Clayton Fejedelem. Or, as colleague Armando Salguero noted, the Dolphins can create $28 million by restructuring Bryon Jones, Kyle Van Noy, Ereck Flowers and McCain. Or Miami can do some combination of both, though it obviously must pick one course or the other with McCain.

Keep in mind that the Dolphins need $11.9 million to sign a draft class if they keep all their 2021 picks.

They also need to sign a starting receiver; sign free agent Ted Karras or a new center; sign free agent Davon Godchaux or a new rotational defensive tackle (unless they draft one instead); sign Matt Haack or another punter; sign a backup quarterback; re-sign exclusive rights cornerback Nik Needham (will be cheap at $850,000); sign two or three linebackers to replace Elandon Roberts, Kamu Grugier-Hill and perhaps Vince Biegel; and sign a No. 3 and No. 4 safety (if Brandon Jones replaces McCain as a starter in this hypothetical).

So their current space won’t be enough. Moves need to be made.

▪ We hear the Dolphins really like Wisconsin Whitewater center/guard Quinn Meinerz, who played for the Dolphins coaching staff’s team in the Senior Bowl. Meinerz not only displayed power, toughness and good feet in blocking some of the draft’s best defensive line prospects, but he shook off a broken hand to practice late in the week.

The Dolphins were impressed.

With his Division III school not playing last season due to COVID 19, the 6-3, 325-pound Meinerz spent the fall of 2020 training at his family’s hunting and fishing camp in Ontario.

▪ Here’s one thing to keep in mind if the Dolphins trade down from third overall and miss on a chance to draft Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith and LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase.

Not everyone believes Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle is the third best receiver in this draft.

NFL draft analyst Tony Pauline, of profootballnetwork.com, said a “lot of teams like [Purdue’s] Rondale Moore ahead of Waddle and justifiably so. [Moore] is more of a natural receiver compared to Waddle.”

▪ More Deshaun Watson talk: Former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich, now an ESPN analyst, predicted the Dolphins not only will get Watson this offseason but also will sign Tampa Bay tight end Rob Gronkowski, which appears unlikely....

ESPN’s Marcus Spears — a big advocate of Watson-to-Miami — predicted the Dolphins would unseat Buffalo as AFC East champions if they acquire him: “I saw what Buffalo did, but I’m taking Deshaun before I take Josh Allen and that defense,” Spears said. “I’m taking Miami’s defense with Deshaun.”...

And ESPN’s Jeff Saturday, the former NFL center, said Watson would bring the Dolphins’ win total from 10 to 13.

The Texans continue to tell teams that they’re not trading Watson.

▪ Miami will play at Super Bowl champion Tampa next season. But the most attractive 2021 game between Tampa and an AFC East team is the Buccaneers’ (and Tom Brady’s) visit to New England; Fox, NBC and ESPN will all lobby for that game. Fox would be angry if the game is cross-flexed to CBS but probably could begrudgingly deal with it being given to NBC on a Sunday night.

Longterm TV deals reportedly are close to being finalized with Fox, NBC, ESPN and CBS. One piece that reportedly is unresolved is who gets the Thursday package that Fox, NFL Network and Amazon have shared in recent years.

Here’s my Thursday look at the mistakes the Heat made this past offseason and how they have led to this season’s regression.

Here’s my Thursday UM 6-pack with notes on a five-star recruit, Ed Reed, Jim Larranaga, Mike Harley Jr. and more.