2024 Dolphins Signing Is Considered “Overpaid” Prior to Training Camp
Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey are playing opposite sides of the ball, but the Miami Dolphins are all in this season as the clock is running out on a championship window.
But did they manage their finances well in advance of a campaign that may make or ruin them? On June 12, Sports News writer Vinnie Iyer selected two Dolphins players to his NFL “all-overpaid” team. According to Iyer, these players are the most overpaid athletes in their respective positions.
First, linebacker Jordyn Brooks ($8.75 million annually) was signed as a crucial player for 2024, bringing much-needed depth to the defense under new coach Anthony Weaver.
Iyer argued that “the one-time [Seattle] Seahawks first-round tackling machine has faded hard of late and is a lateral move with Jerome Baker going to Seattle to join Tyrel Dodson.”
He’s not wrong, considering Brooks’ missed tackle rate spiked up to 16.5% last year according to Pro Football Focus. With his solo tackle numbers dropping from 100-plus the previous two seasons to 62 in a similar number of games.
Brooks is just 26 years old, however, and it’s possible that he rebounds after one rough campaign with the Seahawks.
The problem is the former first rounder doesn’t do much else at a really high level. He can rush the passer and chase down ball carriers, but he’s been a liability in coverage throughout his career and PFF has rarely given him a run defense grade over 70.0.
In 2023, that area plummeted as well, with run defense marks dropping to 49.3.
Per PFF, Brooks allowed an average of 3.9 yards on run plays before making a tackle last season — which isn’t bad for a linebacker — but his stop percentage was only 6.7%. A 17.1% missed tackle rate on rushing downs seemed to compound that weakness.
Dolphins Punter Jake Bailey Also Viewed as ‘Overpaid’
The second Dolphins representative on Iyer’s “overpaid” roster was punter Jake Bailey — who first joined Miami from the division rival New England Patriots in 2023.
Bailey reupped with the Dolphins in early March, inking a two-year deal worth $2.1 million per year. Apparently, Iyer was not a fan of that decision by general manager Chris Grier either.
“The former Patriot averaged only 45.7 yards per boot last season and dropped only 20 inside the 20,” he reasoned. Adding that “both [statistics ranked] near the bottom of the league.”
Dolphins Punter Jake Bailey Also Viewed as ‘Overpaid’
The second Dolphins representative on Iyer’s “overpaid” roster was punter Jake Bailey — who first joined Miami from the division rival New England Patriots in 2023.
Bailey reupped with the Dolphins in early March, inking a two-year deal worth $2.1 million per year. Apparently, Iyer was not a fan of that decision by general manager Chris Grier either.
“The former Patriot averaged only 45.7 yards per boot last season and dropped only 20 inside the 20,” he reasoned. Adding that “both [statistics ranked] near the bottom of the league.”
Bailey was a former fifth-round selection in 2019 — which is considered quite high for the punter position. The fact that he only lasted four years in New England is disappointing based on his draft stock.
Having said that, Bailey’s numbers were actually better over his first three NFL seasons. Including a first-team All-Pro campaign in 2020.
He achieved an “inside the 20 percentage” of 45.9% during his time with the Patriots, but only landed punts inside the 20-yard line at a rate of 37.7% in Miami. On the flip side, Bailey’s net yard average with the Dolphins (40.7) has been on par with his net yard average in New England (40.9).
Similar to Brooks, Grier and Miami are likely betting on a bounce back for their 27-year-old punter in 2024.
Ex-Dolphins Draft Pick & Current Patriots Starter Labeled as Overpaid
There was one former Dolphins player that made Iyer’s list as well, 2017 fifth rounder Davon Godchaux.
Ironically, Godchaux is now with the Pats, opposite of Bailey. He first signed with them in 2021 before earning an extension the following offseason.
Godchaux’s current contract, according to Over the Cap, is a $20.8 million, two-year agreement with a $17.85 million guarantee. Under this deal, the interior defensive lineman will receive $10.4 million annually in salary.
Godchaux was chastised by Iyer for having “limited production” in New England. The nose tackle has only recorded 2.5 sacks and seven tackles for a loss in his three years with the Patriots.
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