The Miami Dolphins have made one of the first big free agency power moves by picking up Mario Williams, who was just made a free agent by the Buffalo Bills. Williams will only have a two-year contract, but he would make $8 million a season. The Buffalo Bills released Williams after he underperformed during the 2015 NFL regular season.
Williams only recorded 19 combined tackles and five sacks on 15 starts, and it is basically assumed that Williams gave up on the Bills since he repeatedly complained that Rex Ryan's defensive schemes were ineffective. Williams is 31 years old and has played 11 seasons in the NFL, so he will be an experienced veteran on this Miami defensive line.
What is not yet known is what the Dolphins will do with their veteran defensive lineman Cameron Wake. Wake is 34 years old and is in the final season of his contract. He is slated to count $9.8 million against the cap, and the Dolphins may be asking him to take a pay cut. Wake has remained effective for longer than the Dolphins could have even imagined, as he registered seven sacks and four forced fumbles in 2015.
Wake and Williams could end up spelling each other throughout games as a situational pass rusher. The Dolphins will be dealing with free agent Olivier Vernon as they look to extend his contract. Vernon will become a hot commodity on the free agent market, and the Dolphins could already be out of the running to compete for his services.
There are many teams in the NFL who could use a solid edge rusher, and Vernon is as consistent as they come. It is likely that Vernon will not return to Miami, making keeping Wake an absolute necessity. Vernon will have a robust market that will be filled with the teams with the most cap space in the NFL. The Dolphins did place the transition tag on Vernon, but they could rescind it, considering that the Dolphins could not match any offer that Vernon receives. The Dolphins could potentially lose their youngest member of the defensive line and replace him with the aging Williams.
