Dolphins, Bills had the same cap problem but totally different solutions

Henry McKenna

AFC East Reporter

Neither the Buffalo Bills nor the Miami Dolphins were truly ready for the 2024 season. About seven days before the new league year opened on Wednesday, both teams were at least $40 million over the salary cap. Their week would be about getting that number out of the red.

And though many expected the Dolphins to extend Tua Tagovailoa and restructure some of their stars like Tyreek Hill, they instead did the dirty work of cutting a handful of their veterans (Xavien Howard, Emmanuel Ogbah, Jerome Baker, Keion Crossen) while watching other stars, like Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt, walk in free agency.

[READ MORE: 2024 NFL free-agency grades: Evaluating every major signing so far]

It was a similar story for the Bills, who on March 6 released safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde, center Mitch Morse, cornerbacks Tre’Davious White and Siran Neal and receiver Deonte Harty. Maybe the first few days of free agency were tough for Dolphins fans, with their favorites leaving Miami, but that Wednesday couldn’t have been easy for Bills fans.

The process for getting their books in order was slightly different. The effect was similar. Both the Dolphins and Bills lost a handful of important starters. Both teams got under the salary cap. And so when the tampering window opened, they could add players.

That’s when their approaches have really seemed to diverge.

Miami has been surprisingly active. The team has added Poyer (from Buffalo), Neal (also from Buffalo), cornerback Kendall Fuller, center Aaron Brewer, linebackers Jordyn Brooks and Anthony Walker, edge Shaq Barrett, defensive tackle Neville Gallimore and tight end Jonnu Smith. To me, that looks like around five Week 1 starters (Poyer, Fuller, Brewer, Brooks, Barrett/Walker).

The Dolphins can be so active because they have players taking discounts to join their ranks. Poyer’s deal — a one-year, $2 million contract — is particularly…

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Publish date : 2024-03-15 16:11:34

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