The Miami Dolphins have already landed and lost some big name free agents, but one more big signing may be on the way, as the Dolphins will host defensive end/pass rusher Robert Ayers. The Dolphins will look to add Ayers to help balance out this defensive line after the departure of Vernon.
The Dolphins had assumed that they could sign two quality players for what it would cost to sign Vernon, and so far, they aren't wrong, as Williams and anyone they add would be a fraction of the cost. Ayers was one of the New York Giants' main pass rushers in the 2015 season, and this led to him earning a bigger contract in free agency.
The Giants were unable, or unwilling, to step up to the plate and sign the productive defensive end. However, the Dolphins may not have a choice, as their line could suffer without the addition of another edge rusher. Ayers has been rumored to command around $6 million annually, so a two to three-year deal could be in the cards for the former Giant.
Their star running back, Lamar Miller, left Florida for Texas when he signed with the Texans, and potent backup wide receiver Rishard Matthews left the franchise to head to Tennessee. Their two quality defensive ends in Derrick Shelby and Olivier Vernon both left for greener pastures, but they did manage to sign Mario Williams as a replacement for Vernon.
The Dolphins were involved in one of the first trades of the new league year, as cornerback Byron Maxwell and linebacker Kiko Alonso were shipped to Miami from the Philadelphia Eagles. The teams will also swap first round picks. The Dolphins defense was pretty abhorrent after they went free agency shopping in 2015, as they signed Ndamukong Suh for one of the biggest contracts in NFL history.
Almost immediately this offseason, they felt the sting of his price tag, as they were crippled from resigning several of their big name free agents. Now, they must figure out what went wrong along this defensive line last season to hope avoid making the same mistakes this year. Signing Ayers would go a long way into solidifying this defensive line.
