For the second straight year, the Miami Dolphins have use a different tag in an effort to keep one of their top players.
As free agency looms for NFL players and teams in the coming days, the Dolphins were thought to have used the coveted franchise tag on defensive end Olivier Vernon. The fourth-year starter was thought to be looking at a bigger payday from another franchise as the Dolphins find themselves close to their limit when it comes to guaranteed money for their roster.
As it turns out, Miami is going a different route for the second straight season and using a transition tag on Vernon, saving about $3 million in the process:
The #Dolphins have chosen to transition tag DE Olivier Vernon, which gives them the right to match any offer. Interesting choice.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 1, 2016
#Dolphins DE Olivier Vernon's one-year transition tag is $12.734 million. However, other teams can make long-term offers in free agency.
— James Walker (@JamesWalkerNFL) March 1, 2016
If the Dolphins had put the franchise tag on Vernon, it would have cost them over $15 million for the 2016 season. After the 2014 season, Miami put the transition tag on tight end Charles Clay, only to see him bolt to the AFC East-rival Buffalo Bills.
In 2015, Vernon finished the year with seven and a half sacks and got most of the attention once Cameron Wake was lost for the season with a Achilles injury. For his career, Vernon has had 29 sacks as a member of the Dolphins.