According to Over the Cap, the Miami Dolphins will approach the 2024 offseason with a projected $42 million deficit. That means they’ll have to cut a significant amount of cash before the new league year begins in March, and ESPN’s Aaron Schatz identified one likely cap casualty on January 15.
“The Dolphins will cut edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah, who has played a smaller role this season,” Schatz predicted for Miami. “He has not played more than 40% of the defensive snaps in any game. Cutting Ogbah will save Miami $13.8 million on next year’s cap while leaving only $4 million in dead money.
This seems like a big possibility for the Dolphins. Ogbah received a $65.4 million deal in 2022 following back-to-back nine-sack seasons from 2020 to 2021. Unfortunately, things haven’t gone well after then.
Ogbah made only nine appearances in 2022, recording one sack and one tackle for loss. Despite being significantly healthier in 2023, the experienced edge rusher failed to make a significant impact due to position injuries.
Ogbah concluded the season with 5.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, and two forced turnovers (one interception and one fumble). Not good enough for more than $16 million each year.
Dolphins Could Save More Cap Space With Post-June 1 Cut of Emmanuel Ogbah
If Miami decides to part with Ogbah, opting for a post-June 1 designation could result in greater savings, but it may not align with the Dolphins’ timeline. While Schatz’s dead cap estimates, verified by Over the Cap, are accurate, Miami has the potential to save an extra $2 million if they release Ogbah after June 1. However, this additional savings is largely procedural, and using a post-June 1 designation wouldn’t address the imminent $42 million deficit.
Due to this financial challenge, it seems more probable that general manager Chris Grier will forego the extra $2 million in savings and release Ogbah before the start of the new league year in March. Another alternative could involve negotiating a pay cut or restructuring Ogbah’s contract, as a modification is necessary to address the impact of his current cap hit. With the pass rusher entering his 31st year in 2024, the potential $13.8 million in savings would reduce the Dolphins’ negative cap deficit to approximately -$28.2 million.
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