Dolphins extend key player ahead of contract year

Although it used to be something of a rarity, drafting a long snapper has become an annual phenomenon in recent years. Results of using such an important acquisition opportunity on a special teamer who doesn’t kick have been mixed since 2015, but the Dolphins represent as one of the teams to have found success in the risk. Miami solidified Blake Ferguson as their long snapper of the future with an extension, according to a team announcement.

Ferguson was a member of the 2019 national champion LSU team before heading to the NFL. Like many of his teammates, the former Tigers team captain was fortunate enough to hear his name called in the draft and found himself heading to Miami. He took over the starting job as a rookie and hasn’t looked back, playing in all 50 possible games over his first three years.

With Ferguson heading into a contract year, the Dolphins decided to get ahead of his free agency by inking him before the season got underway. While we don’t yet have details on the numbers, the team’s post claims he’ll be under contract through the 2026 season, giving him an extra three years in South Beach.

While teams like the Lions, Steelers, Packers and Vikings proved poor examples to follow in the years before Miami drafted Ferguson, the Dolphins have replicated the success found by their division rivals in New England, who drafted Joe Cardona in the fifth-round back in 2015. Like Cardona, Ferguson has minimized mistakes while staying on the field, helping him to land his second big-league deal.