How the Dolphins Continue to Massage the Salary Cap

The Miami Dolphins have been signing player after player since the start of free agency, and they have found ways to do so despite their bad salary-cap situation.

The Dolphins created some wiggle room for themselves by releasing some veterans, such as Jason Sanders and Alec Ingold, but they also have managed to find ways to maximize their cap space as well.

And it's not just about Malik Willis and a void year to further spread out his signing bonus, it also has involved less heralded moves involving some veterans, using a clause called the "veteran salary benefit."

EXPLAINING THE VETERAN SALARY BENEFIT

According to the NFL Operations website, these are the particulars related to the veteran salary benefit: "Formerly known as the minimum salary benefit, the veteran salary benefit allows teams to offer a 'Qualifying Contract' to any player with at least four credited seasons at a reduced salary cap hit. Under this provision, a qualifying contract is a one-year deal worth the minimum base salary applicable to a player with his number of credited seasons, plus $187,500 in additional compensation (i.e., signing bonus, roster bonus, incentive, etc.). These contracts are charged against the salary cap at the rate of a player with two credited seasons that league year."

In practical terms, the Dolphins re-signed cornerback A.J. Green III to a $1.215 million contract, according to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, but his salary cap will be only $1.075 million.

The Dolphins used the same formula, according to Wilson, when they signed Darrell Baker Jr. and re-signed kicker Riley Patterson.

Beyond that, the Dolphins are signing a certain kind of player with some upside to investigate but not established players who would cost more money (and cap space).

THE WILLIS WAY

These all have admittedly been low-key additions, the exception obviously being quarterback Malik Willis.

But even with Willis, the Dolphins worked around and through the salary cap to make him an easy fit in their tight space.

While the headlines on Willis' contract were about the three years for $67.5 million with a $22.5 signing bonus, the fine print involves a couple of void years tacked on at the end of those three years.

So instead of Willis' signing bonus being $7.5 million in each of next three years, it instead will be $4.5 million over the next five years, meaning his 2026 salary cap number will be $5.7 million, an absurdly low number for a starting quarterback.

Sure, the Dolphins will have $8.9 million of cap commitments to Willis at the end of his contract, but, who knows, he might have gotten an extension by then.

Even if he doesn't, taking a shot at landing a franchise quarterback with cap numbers of $5.7 million, $26 million, $27 million and $8.9 million over the next years remains a truly worthwhile gamble.

Some slick cap maneuvering made it even more worthwhile.