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A Miami Dolphins player received some bad news regarding his contract
The Miami Dolphins have taken a different approach to every other NFL team this offseason. They have cut ties with a majority of the team’s high-priced players, and have primarily added players to contracts worth less than $3 million this offseason.
Regarding Miami’s unique approach, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said, “We’ve never seen a team do what the Dolphins are about to try to do.” Miami currently leads the league with minimum contracts on their roster, as they have 43, and the next closest team has 31.
However, not all minimum contracts are the same. Some possess guarantees in the contracts, which helps the player when it comes to the final days of roster decisions. Unfortunately for one of the team’s newest additions, his contract does not seem to guarantee that he will make Miami’s 53-man roster heading into the 2026 season.
Miami Dolphins Tight End Does Not Have a Guaranteed Spot
USA Today writer Mike Masala noted that Miami Dolphins free agent addition Ben Sims’ contract does not guarantee him a spot on the team’s final roster for Week 1. Masala wrote:
“Miami gave Sims a one-year deal worth $1.33 million for 2026. That contract includes a $1.15 million and a $187,500 signing bonus. With the signing bonus being the only guaranteed money in the deal, the Dolphins could cut Sims any time before Week 1 and only have the $187,500 dead cap hit.”
The Dolphins signed Sims as they were looking for a replacement for tight end Julian Hill, who signed a three-year $18 million contract with the Patriots. Miami could have retained Hill, but they opted to non-tender the restricted free agent as they did not want to offer him a $3.5 million contract.
Hill’s role on the Dolphins was primarily as Miami’s blocking tight end, a role that Sims could potentially fill in Miami if he does make the active roster. Miami’s front office is familiar with Sims, as general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan was previously the Packers vice president of player personnel, and Sims spent three seasons with the Packers.
Regarding Sims’ potential role on the Dolphins, Sports Illustrated’s Jake Mendel wrote, “Sims has a chance to leapfrog the group as No. 2 on the depth chart. He lacks production as a pass catcher, primarily because he’s blocked on 361 of his 520 regular-season snaps.” If Sims does manage to become Miami’s No. 2 tight end, then his $1.15 million contract will be a bargain, and he will add to his $2.6 million in career earnings.
Dolphins’ Free Agent Additions
While most of Miami’s additions are facing similar situations to Sims, there is one outlier. Quarterback Malik Willis signed a three-year, $67 million contract with $45 million guaranteed, which practically ensures he’s Miami’s starting quarterback during the 2026 season.
Additionally, the team seems to value having communication with their quarterback as it was recently revealed that the Dolphins front office informed Willis of the Jaylen Waddle trade prior to it occurring.
“He was in the know of this decision, and he is still all in on the plan, just like they were when they signed him in free agency. This isn’t a shock adjustment to what particularly happened. Malik Willis was signed because they view him as a potential long-term answer there. It’s not just a Band-Aid addition.” NFL Network insider Cameron Wolfe said on the March 27 edition of The Insiders.
Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer
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