21 players account for $21 million in dead money for the Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins restructured All-Pro cornerback Xavien Howard’s contract just a couple of weeks back to give the team some wiggle room in terms of cap space for the remainder of the year.

Part of the reason that Brian Flores’ team is so tight against the salary cap this season is that, according to Over the Cap, they have $21 million being taken in dead money which occurs when a player has been cut or traded. In the case of the 2021 Dolphins, there are 21 players whose contracts have resulted in dead money on Miami’s cap.

These are the players that the dead money is accounting for.

OL Ereck Flowers - $8,000,000

Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Flowers played just one season with Miami before being traded to the Washington Football Team for a seventh-round pick.

LB Kyle Van Noy - $4,125,000

Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Van Noy also only played one season with the Dolphins, but he was released one year into a four-year $51 million contract.

DE Shaq Lawson - $2,666,667

Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Lawson signed a three-year contract worth $30 million in 2020 but was traded to Houston after just one season for a pick and another name that we’ll see on this list.

S Bobby McCain - $1,480,800

Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

McCain signed a four-year extension back in 2018 but didn’t see the end of it, as he was cut this past offseason before signing with the Washington Football Team.

WR Jakeem Grant - $1,177,777

Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Grant was traded to Chicago earlier in the year for a sixth-round draft pick after spending the last four seasons with the Dolphins.

LB Benardrick McKinney - $750,000

Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The long-time Texan was the aforementioned player that was part of the trade for Lawson. He only spent the summer with Miami before being released before the start of the season.

C Matt Skura - $400,000

Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Skura was signed this offseason to a one-year deal to replace Ted Karras but he didn’t make it to the regular season.

C Cameron Tom - $381,333

Mandatory Credit: Syndication: Palm Beach Post

With all of the team’s injuries, Tom has bounced back and forth to the practice squad this season where he currently sits.

WR Robert Foster - $253,333

Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Foster was signed this past March but he was waived with an injury designation before reverting to injured reserve. He received a settlement and was released before Week 1.

EDGE Curtis Weaver - $230,997

Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Miami drafted Weaver in the fifth round of the 2020 draft, but waived with an injury designation in the last week of August before being claimed by Cleveland.

S Reshad Jones - $230,000

Mandatory Credit: Mark Brown/Getty Images

One of the Dolphins’ defensive leaders was released in the offseason prior to the 2020 season after suffering a season-ending injury.

CB Jamal Perry - $206,606

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Perry was waived at the beginning of the season before re-signing with the practice squad. He was eventually promoted to the active roster before suffering a season-ending injury.

DE Jabaal Sheard - $185,722

Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Sheard signed with Miami’s practice squad at the beginning of the year but was released a few weeks back.

QB Reid Sinnett -$183,334

Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

When Tua Tagovailoa got healthy, the Dolphins waived Sinnett to try and sneak him to the practice squad. Unfortunately, he was claimed by the Eagles.

WR Isaiah Ford - $158,222

Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Ford was released during preseason cuts before being re-signed to the practice squad. He signed to the active roster back in October and has made some important plays for the team.

OL Adam Pankey - $150,000

Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The Dolphins signed Pankey in March, but he was waived and added to the practice squad during preseason cuts.

DB Cre'Von LeBlanc - $150,000

Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

LeBlanc signed with Miami later in free agency this past offseason and wasn’t able to win a spot on the roster.

RB Kalen Ballage - $147,295

Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The running back was drafted by the Dolphins in 2018 but didn’t see the end of his rookie contract. He was waived with an injury settlement at the start of the 2020 season.

LB Vince Biegel - $144,222

Mandatory Credit: Darron Cummings/AP Photo

Biegel was brought to Miami in 2019 in a trade for Kiko Alonso. He missed all of last season with a torn Achilles and was placed on injured reserve in the 2021 preseason. He was released from injured reserve before being re-signed a month later to the practice squad and eventually promoted to the active roster.

S Sheldrick Redwine - $141,666

Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Dolphins signed Redwine off the Panthers practice squad back in October, but he was waived a month later. He’s currently on Miami’s practice squad.

OL Jermaine Eluemunor - $100,000

Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Eluemunor signed with Miami in June and was released during the preseason. He’s currently playing for the Las Vegas Raiders.

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