Dolphins Finally Lock Up Remaining Unsigned Rookie

This comes just a few days after the 49ers agreed to sign the 43rd overall pick, Alfred Collins, to a contract that guaranteed around 88% of his deal, which broke the NFL’s standoff with second-round picks. 

The Dolphins caving on the fully guaranteed deal is hardly surprising, given how the market shook out. Of the four players selected ahead of Savaiinaea in last year’s draft, three received fully guaranteed deals, with the most recent being Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (35th pick). 

The only second-round player selected ahead of Savaiinaea who hasn’t signed a fully guaranteed deal is Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (36th). However, he was arrested on a domestic-violence charge last Saturday. 

Judkins is not expected to report to training camp, as the Browns have reportedly advised him to focus on dealing with the charges. 

It’s hard to blame Savaiinaea and his agent for asking to get the same deal a player picked just two slots earlier got, which left the Dolphins with basically zero leverage.

The Dolphins had no issues signing the rest of their draft class, locking up Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips, Ollie Gordon, Dante Trader Jr., Quinn Ewers, and Zeek Biggers before rookie minicamp.

Why This Had to Get Done Before Camp 

Although Savaiinaea couldn’t report with the rest of the players listed above, training camp doesn’t begin in earnest until veterans report, which isn’t until Tuesday. 

Getting this deal done now means Savaiinaea won’t be behind and can maxmize the amount of time he works with the veterans on the line. The Arizona product was drafted to start at guard, and the Dolphins offensive line hasn’t played together much. 

James Daniels was added in free agency to fill the other guard spot, while Patrick Paul played less than 400 snaps last season, and Austin Jackson missed a good chunk of the season with a knee injury. 

Continuity is critical for offensive linemen, and that begins in camp. The Dolphins caving on the guarantees to ensure Savaiinaea has as much time as possible to find chemistry with his linemates was absolutely necessary.