NFL Rumors: Chargers, Dolphins 'Could Be Making Cuts,' Reworking Big-Name Contracts | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
The Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins reportedly may be planning some roster maneuvering to get under the salary cap before the new league year starts next week.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported Friday that she has heard the Chargers and Dolphins "could be making cuts to their rosters and reworking deals on big-name players."
Per Over The Cap, the Chargers and Dolphins are the two teams with the worst cap situations in the league. L.A. is $20.2 million over the cap and Miami is $20.4 million over.
Both the Chargers and Dolphins have already been active this offseason in terms of trying to clear some cap space.
Per Spotrac, Los Angeles released linebacker Eric Kendricks to save $6.5 million against the cap. Meanwhile, Miami saved nearly $27 million by cutting defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, cornerback Keion Crossen and linebacker Jerome Baker.
The Chargers restructured the contracts of several key players last offseason, putting them in a tough financial situation this offseason.
ESPN's Kris Rhim named wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and pass-rushers Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa as players who the Chargers could work with on restructures or extensions, or potentially even trade or release to create more cap space.
In terms of free agents, running back Austin Ekeler, linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr., tight end Gerald Everett and safety Alohi Gilman are all set to hit the open market next week, and retaining any of them could prove difficult due to the Chargers' cap situation.
As for the Dolphins, signing quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a contract extension is perhaps the easiest and most likely way to create some cap space.
Also, the Dolphins could restructure the contracts of pass-rusher Bradley Chubb and defensive lineman Zach Sieler, and either restructure or cut left tackle Terron Armstead, among other potential moves.
Miami has some key players set to hit free agency as well with defensive lineman Christian Wilkins standing out as the biggest potential loss. Guards Robert Hunt and Isaiah Wynn, center Connor Williams, nose tackle Raekwon Davis, safeties DeShon Elliott and Brandon Jones, and wide receivers Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Braxton Berrios are also impending free agents.
The Chargers and Dolphins are two teams in different spots, so they could approach the rest of the offseason in very different ways.
L.A. is coming off a highly disappointing 5-12 season that resulted in the firing of head coach Brandon Staley. That could result in something of a roster rebuild, but the Bolts are a veteran-laden team with a supremely talented quarterback in Justin Herbert.
They hired Jim Harbaugh away from the University of Michigan as their new head coach, which suggests they want to win immediately.
The Dolphins have reached the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since making it five straight times from 1997 to 2001.
They have been unable to beat out the Buffalo Bills to win the AFC East, but they led the division for most of the 2023 campaign and finished 11-6.
Miami has a high-flying offense headlined by Tua, wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and running backs Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane, so expectations are high entering the 2024 campaign.
Repeating and improving upon last season could prove difficult, though, since the Dolphins are set to lose several pieces and may not have a ton of cap space to replace them with.
