Dolphins decided to make one cut that saves cap space, but more cuts would be tricky

With two weeks to go before the NFL’s new league year and the start of free agency there are at least 11 clubs currently projecting as being over the 2021 salary cap, assuming that limit is set around $181 million.

And even if the cap ceiling comes in higher than $181 million, most NFL observers believe the definite rollback in the cap this year will result in a significant crop of veteran players cut by teams needing to shed salaries to get under the new cap by March 17.

These players will be in addition to the typical annual group of veterans with bloated salaries that teams cut because they don’t believe the players fit their cap or plans or both.

The Miami Dolphins will have at least one player in that group after a league source confirmed this week outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who signed a $51 million contract last year, will be released after one season with the team.

So there are two dynamics at play here:

Some teams will be cutting some players they value because of the lower cap.

And then, of course, every team will have the opportunity to dive into the pool of newly available talent which is expected to be deeper than usual because of the lower 2021 cap.

So which are the Miami Dolphins?

Are they sellers or buyers?

They might be a little of both.

If we’re talking outright cuts, the Dolphins don’t need to get rid of guys. They’re going to be $33 million to $36 million under the salary cap — depending on where it is set — even if they don’t make another move.

That doesn’t mean the Dolphins might not want to trim what they might consider fat as they obviously did with Van Noy.

Typically teams cut players when they don’t play to their contracts the season before, or newer, or better or cheaper players are acquired.

So who potentially fits that description for the Dolphins?

Beyond Van Noy there’s only one signing from the 2020 free agency class that makes even remote sense to cut and even that seems like a stretch: Clayton Fejedelem.

The Dolphins can save $1.4 million by cutting Fejedelem after one season in which he led the team in special teams tackles. If this doesn’t sound like a huge trimming of fat that’s because, well, it’s not.

The other 2020 free agent additions?

Emmanuel Ogbah led the team in sacks so he’s safe.

Shaq Lawson was mostly just solid with four sacks and 32 tackles but it would actually cost more money to cut him than keep him, so he is safe.

It’s also more expensive to cut than to keep guard Ereck Flowers and cornerback Byron Jones plus neither played poorly and losing them would create a roster hole, so they’re safe.

This exercise is like forcing Manute Bol to go on a diet.

There are maybe four veterans that are potential cuts for various reasons but even they are borderline.

The club, which is going to restock the wide receiver room, could decide Albert Wilson is a luxury and cut him before the regular season to save $2.8 million. Wilson took a pay cut last year and then opted out.

The club could decide Jakeem Grant, scheduled to cost $4.7 million against the cap, has gotten too expensive as the club’s fourth or fifth wide receiver and return specialist. Cutting Grant would save $2.8 million.

If you’re talking cuts that might seem desperate, the Dolphins could look at either Bobby McCain or Eric Rowe — their starting safety tandem — and decide one has to go to upgrade the pair.

Cutting McCain would save $5.66 million while cutting Rowe would save $5 million. But, again, these are starters who performed relatively well throughout the season.

McCain is an excellent communicator in the back end of the defense and was a reason the Dolphins’ defense did not see receivers get behind the secondary when veterans were on the field.

Rowe, the strong safety, struggled in games against Kansas City’s Travis Kelce and Darren Waller of Las Vegas but so does practically everyone else in the NFL.

Those struggles seemed more to do with a coaching staff that asked a clearly overmatched player to do something not many (any?) other strong safeties can do, which is cover Kelce and Waller 1-on-1 most of the time.

So, yes, the case can be made the Dolphins can save some some cap space to reinvest on perhaps a long list of newly available talent. But the calculation isn’t as clear cut as releasing a bunch of underperforming players who are clearly overpaid.

A more compelling case can actually be made that the Dolphins can go into free agency without cutting anyone else and rejoin the conversation on a player by player basis as perhaps better or cheaper replacements become available.