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Miami Dolphins rebuild hits turbo with Byron Jones and draft picks

By Nick Villano

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 22: Preston Williams #18 of the Miami Dolphins gets his pass broken up by Byron Jones #31 of the Dallas Cowboys in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 22: Preston Williams #18 of the Miami Dolphins gets his pass broken up by Byron Jones #31 of the Dallas Cowboys in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) /
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The Miami Dolphins went on a spending spree in the first day of NFL free agency, headlined by Byron Jones. Now, the NFL Draft and a quarterback await.

The Miami Dolphin were supposed to go 0-16. They exceeded all expectations at 5-11.

First-year head coach Brian Flores did a masterful job following an 0-8 start, finishing 5-3 including a Week 17 road win over the New England Patriots.

Now, armed with the league’s most cap space and a roster rife with openings, Flores and general manager Chris Grier are getting after it.

On the NFL’s opening day for it’s free-agent tampering period, the Dolphins were the most aggressive team in the league. Miami has agreed to terms with cornerback Byron Jones (five years, $82.5 million), defensive end Shaq Lawson (three years, $30 million), linebacker Kyle Van Noy (four years, $51 million) and guard Ereck Flowers (three years, $30 million) along with core special teams ace Clayton Fejedelem (three years, $8.55 million).

With free agency still rolling, the Dolphins can begin to think about the NFL Draft, where they have a league-high 14 picks including three first-round choices. They have five choices in the first 60 picks, including No. 5 overall.

Of course, the big news from today is Jones. Pairing him with Xavien Howard, one of the best cornerbacks in the league and one who can make up those interceptions Jones won’t get, will make the Dolphins secondary one of the best in the league.

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Also, let’s not overlook Fejedelem. His three-year, $8.55 million deal sounds like a lot for a special teamer, but with only $3 million guaranteed, it’s a low-risk proposition. They can see if his talents translate from the Cincinnati Bengals, and he brings leadership and experience to the room.

Overall, the Dolphins overhauled their roster on Monday, and they’re not close to done. They can still use their ridiculous haul of draft picks to make trades, or add a plethora of young players to a roster that now has a decent amount of veterans.

With the uncertainty surrounding the Patriots, it looks like the Dolphins are building a team to contend sooner rather than later.

Now, it’s time to figure out the quarterback position.

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