Dolphins Dead Money Cap Hits Entering 2025

The Miami Dolphins’ ballooning dead cap total highlights just how much has changed entering Year 4 of the Mike McDaniel era.

Following a trade that sent Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh in exchange for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, Miami now carries $53.9 million in dead money on the books for 2025, the eighth-highest total in the NFL, per Spotrac.

The Dolphins have four players accounting for at least $5 million in dead money, led by cornerback Xavien Howard at $15.69 million. Miami released the former second-round pick last offseason, and he was also the team’s largest dead cap charge in 2024, costing $11.4 million.

Ramsey’s dead cap hit isn’t significantly lower, coming in at $14.99 million. Combined, Howard and Ramsey will account for roughly 11 percent of the salary cap, despite not playing a snap for the Dolphins.

The irony of this massive cap charge is that cornerback is arguably the weakest link on Miami’s roster entering training camp. With limited flexibility and more than $30 million in dead money tied to Howard and Ramsey alone, the Dolphins are left hoping for a breakthrough from less proven options like 2024 undrafted rookie Storm Duck or 2023 second-round pick Cam Smith.

Terron Armstead’s cap hit is much more manageable than the top two at $7.8 million, or 2.8 percent of Miami’s total cap. The next-largest dead cap hits belong to another cornerback, Kendall Fuller ($5.4 million), and edge rusher Shaquil Barrett ($4.4 million), who retired before playing a snap for Miami last season. 

Looking ahead to 2026

The Dolphins felt it was in their best interest to move on from Ramsey and Smith, but both will have a lingering impact on the team’s short-term future. 

Ramsey’s dead money hit is even larger next season, increasing to $20.8 million, which Spotrac is projecting to be roughly 6.8 percent of the 2026 salary cap. Trading Smith added another $1.6 million to the total.

On top of that, Armstead’s $10.8 million salary cap hit brings Miami’s projected dead money total to a league-high fourth overall at $33.25 million, more than a year before that season begins.

The Dolphins added 14 free agents from other teams this offseason, with only James Daniels and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine landing more than a one-year contract. Miami returns a core that’s reached the playoffs in two of the last three seasons, but 2025 will be a pivot point for the franchise.

With so many short-term deals and escalating cap hits on the horizon, this season could determine whether the Dolphins return to a more aggressive roster-building approach or begin reshaping their foundation from the ground up.