The Miami Dolphins haven’t been as aggressive as they usually are this offseason, a result of perhaps being overly aggressive in years past. That being said, they still have a bit of cap room, and more can be made if they release punter Jake Bailey, a move that seems likely given the signing of Ryan Stonehouse. This late into free agency the name of the game is maximizing potential value. This means taking a chance on players who are either coming off of injury or just nearing the end of their careers due to age.
Scherff spent the past three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars after being drafted in the first round by Washington in 2015. The former fifth overall pick in the draft struggled with injuries, which included a torn pectoral muscle in 2019, which ended his season, and a sprained MCL in 2020. Despite this, he made 5 Pro Bowls and signed a 3 year $49.5 million deal with the Jaguars. He managed to stay healthy during his three years in Duval, but the team moved on from Scherff due to his age. Coming into this season, he will be 34, but he didn’t allow a single sack last season and has shown little sign of slowing down with age. If the Dolphins can take a chance on Liam Eichenberg after watching the performances he put on tape, surely they can take a risk on an aging talent.
Jedrick Wills was the 10th overall pick to the Cleveland Browns in 2020. He was named to the Pro Football Writers Association all-rookie team that year. Unlike Scherff, Wills should be entering the prime of his career at only 26 when the season begins. However, he has dealt with injuries during his time in Cleveland, playing in only 58 games since being drafted. His 2024 season was cut short with an MCL injury that landed him on Injured Reserve in week 9. With Terron Armstead’s future still uncertain and Austin Jackson’s injury history it may be prudent to add another body to the mix, at least to provide a depth this offensive line will likely need.
Asante Samuel Jr.
The son of Patriots legend Asante Samuel had a hot start to his career, winning Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week in weeks 2 and 3 of his rookie season. He’s probably best remembered for his three interceptions off of Trevor Lawerence in the 2022 playoffs, a performance that would almost unbelievably end up in a loss for Los Angeles. When he was on the field, he performed decently in 2023, finishing the season with two interceptions and 13 passes defended. However, last season, he injured his shoulder in October and missed the rest of the season. He hasn’t lived up to the hype of his rookie season nor the expectations bestowed upon him by being named after his father, but he’s a solid player who can contribute if he can recover from his shoulder injury.
This final player is strictly to appeal to Mike McDaniel and his love of edge rushers. It was disappointing to miss out on Joey Bosa to the rival Buffalo Bills, but there is still edge talent out there and likely for significantly less than the $12.5 million Bosa demanded. Za’Darius Smith has built a solid career for himself after being drafted in the 4th round by the Baltimore Ravens back in 2015. He has notched 69 sacks in his career and, despite being 32, still managed to take the quarterback down 4 times last season. He’s very far away from his time with the Packers, where he had a season with 13.5 sacks and another with 12.5, but he could be a cheap rotational guy as Jaelan Phillips works his way back from his partially torn ACL injury sustained last season.
For more sports opinions, you can follow me on Youtube @WickedGoodSports and X @TheFakeBMarr
