“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” That is an old saying we have all heard and what the Miami Dolphins are facing right now with training camp beginning in a few days.
Shaq Barrett has retired, and the Dolphins’ questions at the edge rusher position are bigger now than they were yesterday morning when Shaq was on the roster. With uncertainty around when Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb will return, and now with Shaq Barrett gone, the Dolphins, just a few hours away from the beginning of training camp, have no experienced edge rushers healthy and ready to go on their roster.
Miami will have to make a move or two and bring in some veterans.
Below is a list of available names in which Miami may show some interest. And let me state up front that I know the options of unsigned edge rushers aren’t great; nobody they add will move the needle, as they say, and make a huge impact, but from a pure numbers game, Miami has to sign someone or two people at this point.
And it’s not that Shaq Barrett of 2024 is Lawrence Taylor in his prime, which cannot be replaced, and this was a house of cards that crumbled, and Miami’s season is now over, and the sky is falling. I’m not saying that, but Barrett was coming off a decent year and had a solid NFL resume. He was someone you “trusted” to hold the fort down while Phillips and Chubb recovered from their injuries and eventually got back on the field.
There is a reason Miami outbid the Jets for him in March and brought him in during the early days of free agency. So, yes, the loss stings.
Nevertheless, here are some options Miami may consider to bring in during the next 24-48 hours.
Melvin Ingram: He had spent the last two seasons in Miami, playing 17 games in 2022, and then, when the injuries began to mount late last season, Chris Grier called him. Ingram was back for the final three games of last season. He is 35 years old, and his best days are behind him, but he has shown that he has something left in the tank over the past two seasons.
Carl Lawson: Miami worked out Lawson this past offseason even after they signed Shaq Barrett but decided against signing him. He is 29 years old, he had a ruptured Achilies injury which cost him the entire 2021 season. He came back in 2022, played all 17 games with the Jets, and had seven sacks, but then there was last season. He only played in 6 games, was a healthy scratch for the other 11 games, started zero, and had zero sacks. There are unconfirmed reports that he showed up to training camp out of shape and had a minor back injury, which is the reason the Jets didn’t have him active for most weeks and play him. Because Miami has already worked him out a few months back, he is the name most think Miami may call first, but there may not be anything left in the tank for Lawson.
Tyus Bowser: If you want someone who knows Anthony Weaver, it’s Tyus Bowser, as he has only played for the Ravens and has been in Baltimore since 2017. The issue here is, again, injuries. In January 2022, Bowser ruptured his Achilles, and he missed most of the 2022 season. Playing in only nine games, starting four and having two sacks. Then he missed the entire 2023 season due to a knee injury he had last summer. So, the million-dollar question is whether or not Bowswer is actually healthy today and whether there is hope he can stay healthy.
Charles Harris: Yes, former 2017 1st round pick Charles Harris. He just turned 29 years old, and during his entire time in the NFL, he has had one decent season ever, which was in 2021 with the Lions, in which he had 7.5 sacks. Dolphins’ fans will scream bloody murder if Miami brings him back, as his time in Miami went so poorly. But he is healthy, and the Dolphins’ options right now on the eve of training camp are limited, to say the least.
Emmanual Ogbah: Another interesting situation with a former Dolphins player. Miami released Ogbah just a few months ago, in March, and the relationship didn’t end on great terms, as there were some bad feelings on both sides. But that was then, and this is now, and both sides may need each other. In my opinion, Ogbah may be a perfect fit for the Anthony Weaver style of defense Miami is going to run in 2024, while he wasn’t a scheme fit for Vic Fangio’s defense in 2023. People get divorced all the time, and on occasion, we see men go back to their ex-wives and re-marry them. Will Ogbah and the Dolphins have a reconciliation? Who knows? But again, beggars cannot be choosers, and Miami’s options are limited right now, so never say never.
Bruce Irvin/Justin Houston: Remember them? The two guys Chris Grier brought in the week of the playoff game vs Kansas City back in January. Is it an ideal situation if Miami brought one or both of them in? NO. But this situation isn’t ideal, so all options must be considered. Irvin will turn 36 in November and hasn’t had a solid season since 2019 and only played in 1 game last year (the Miami playoff game vs KC). Houston is 35, played seven games for the Panthers last season, and had 0.5 sacks before he asked to be released; then he signed for the one game for Miami vs. KC. We know Grier has their phone numbers, and I bet their names will be kicked around this weekend.
Yannick Ngakoue: This is the guy I hope Miami brings in, as I think out of all of these names, he is the only one who still may be able to play. He turned 29 in March and has 69 career sacks. He has had some production the past three seasons, with ten sacks in 2021, 9.5 sacks in 2022, and 4 sacks last season. Since 2019, he has played for a new team each season, so he is used to bouncing around. He has the most proven resume out of all of the unsigned players available, but he will probably also cost the most money. Miami is getting back all of the money that Shaq Barrett would have cost on the salary cap, so that helps in that regard.
I won’t go into detail about some other names, such as David Mayo, Shaq Lawson, and Markus Golden, but throw them on the list of options.
But like many of the names above, most are coming off injury-riddled seasons, not too much production in recent years on the field, and their best days are clearly behind them.
Yes, Miami has Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara, but both are rookies. Chop could be the next Charles Harris and a 1st round bust for all we know, and Kamara went in Rd 5 for a reason. While we “HOPE” both are solid players, you cannot expect two rookies to come in and start from Day 1 and play the majority, if not all, of the defensive snaps out of the gate.
That is unrealistic and short-sighted.
The Dolphins need to sign one, and honestly, probably two edge rushers right now heading into camp to replace Barrett. The options aren’t ideal, but Miami was thrown a curveball with this news Saturday of Barrett retiring, and now they must adjust and make the best out of a bad situation.
