Miami Dolphins free agency 2020: Top 5 targets

Trading Minkah Fitzpatrick away to the Pittsburgh Steelers, while he was still on his rookie deal out of the University of Alabama, was odd, but at least the Dolphins got a first-round pick out of it. Either way, the Dolphins need to make a splash or two in free agency in the secondary to become a more competitive team in 2020. Signing Dallas Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones would be huge.

Jones just played the fifth-year of his rookie deal with the Cowboys. The former late first-round pick out of UConn was a Pro Bowler in 2018. One would think Dallas would love to have him back on a second contract. The only problem is Dallas has to pay two other big-time players this spring in quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Amari Cooper. One of those three isn’t returning.

Could Dallas use the franchise tag on Jones? Potentially, but it’ll cost the Cowboys $16.5 million for 2020. Though the Cowboys have the fifth-most money to work with this offseason against the salary cap at $81.9 million, you can’t average over $20 million annually on three players in one offseason. Dallas can get very creative to keep all three, but it’ll be so hard for the Cowboys.

Next: 30 richest players in the NFL

As for Miami, the Dolphins have more available cap space than the Cowboys and Jones wouldn’t have to pay a state income tax if he were to move from Texas to Florida. Jones will be 28-years-old for most of the 2020 NFL season. He should have a few more years of elite ball left in the tank. If the Dolphins are willing to pay a premium for a cornerback, then Jones is a great fit for Miami.