Miami Dolphins’ free-agent frenzy: Who’s coming and who’s going?

Here’s a breakdown of what the Dolphins have done heading into the start of the NFL’s new league year:

Coming

Wide receiver Will Fuller V

Fuller provides elite speed at receiver the Dolphins haven’t had since Ted Ginn Jr., more than a decade ago, and Fuller has been much more polished of a wideout than Ginn ever was, with a career 14.9 yards per reception and 24 touchdown catches in his 52 career games. Therein, though, lies an issue so familiar to Dolphins fans: durability.

In his first four seasons, injury kept Fuller from playing in 17 of his team’s 61 games (includes postseason). He played in the Texans’ first 11 games in 2020 before a PED suspension shelved him for the final five. He still has one game left on that suspension. Will Tua Tagovailoa get a receiver who leaves defensive backs in his wake, or will Deshaun Watson and Fuller be reunited in Miami?

Center Matt Skura

Skura, who agreed to a one-year deal with the Dolphins, started 51 games during his five years with the Baltimore Ravens, including the past 29 at center. Skura, who was undrafted out of Duke in 2016, was one of the NFL’s top-rated centers before he suffered a devastating left knee injury in November of 2019.

After a grueling rehab, he started the first nine games last season. But he was benched after struggling in a loss to the Patriots and played sparingly over the final seven games. Skura will compete for a starting role with the Dolphins after Ted Karras rejoined the Patriots. The Dolphins were interested in Patriots veteran center David Andrews, but they could not come to terms on a deal.

Linebacker Benardrick McKinney

McKinney, a 2018 Pro Bowl selection, has averaged 88 tackles (6.6 a game) in his six seasons, where he started 77 games for the Texans. His 2020 season ended after four games due to shoulder surgery, but the 6-foot-4, 245-pound linebacker is known for his versatility, and prowess against the run.

He’ll likely replace Elandon Roberts, a free agent, as the starting inside linebacker paired with Jerome Baker. McKinney has three years left on the contract Miami inherits, which includes base salaries of $7 million in 2021, $8.75 million in 2022 and $9 million in 2023. Each year features $750,000 worth of bonuses that pays him $47,000 for each game he plays.

Quarterback Jacoby Brissett

The former Palm Beach Dwyer High agreed to a one-year deal that could reportedly pay him $7.5 million if incentives are reached. Brissett played in 49 career games and has a 12-20 record in 32 starts. He has thrown for 6,459 yards with 31 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and has a 59.6 career completion percentage. He’s athletic enough to run the run-pass-option offense, and is respected as a leader, which means he should welcome a mentoring role for starter Tua Tagovailoa.

H-back Cethan Carter

Carter joins the Dolphins after spending the past three seasons with the Bengals, where he was primarily used as a lead blocker, and special teams contributor. Carter has only seven career catches on 10 targets for 66 yards and a touchdown, but its possible he could do more if it were put on his plate. His addition as Chandler Cox’s replacement could help open up Miami’s RPO game even further.

Tailback Malcolm Brown

Brown played in 70 games the past six seasons, gaining 1,118 rushing yards and scoring 11 touchdowns on his 298 carries. Last season the 27-year-old gained 419 yards on 101 carries and caught a career-high 23 receptions, turning those catches into 162 yards. He’ll compete with Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed for the starting role in Miami’s backfield. Brown got a one-year deal worth a fully guaranteed $1.75 million from the Dolphins.

Defensive lineman Adam Butler

The Dolphins signed Butler, who has played in 70 of the past 71 Patriots games, to a two-year deal reportedly worth $9 million hoping that he’ll help clog some running lanes. Butler produced 17 sacks, 23 tackles for loss and 26 quarterback hits in four seasons, where he averaged 451 snaps a season. He’ll share the interior defensive lineman role with Christian Wilkins, Raekwon Davis and Zach Sieler.

Cornerback Justin Coleman

Coleman, who the Dolphins signed to a one-year deal worth $2.75 million, has started 29 of 79 games he’s played in the past six seasons, primarily serving as a nickel cornerback for the Patriots, Seahawks and Lions. He’s contributed 211 tackles, pulled down four interceptions, forced four fumbles and recovered four during his NFL career.

Punter Michael Palardy

Palardy, a former St. Thomas Aquinas High standout who missed the 2020 season because of a knee injury sustained in the offseason, has played in 55 games in his NFL career, totaling 243 punts for 11,011 yards and a 40.3 net punting average. He will likely replace Matt Haack, who is a free agent.

Running back Jordan Scarlett

Scarlett, who shined in the backfield at University School High and St. Thomas Aquinas, before starring at the University of Florida, signed with Miami in January, and should compete for one of the four or five tailback spots on the 53-man regular-season roster. Scarlett, who was drafted in the fifth round by the Panthers in 2019, has gained 9 yards on 4 carries in the nine games he’s played.

Center Cameron Toms

Toms, a former Southern Miss standout, spent the past four seasons bouncing back and forth from the Saints practice squad. He’s played in 12 NFL games with one start and will likely be competing with Michael Deiter to determine who serves as the starter and backup center.

Linebacker Brennan Scarlett

Scarlett has started 22 of the 56 games he’s played in the past five seasons for the Texans, but all but one of those seasons ended with him on injured reserve. Last season, Scarlett missed five games because of a fractured forearm. Scarlett, who has contributed 139 tackles, 5.5 sacks and one interception and forced three fumbles while recovering one during his NFL career, will likely contribute on defense and special teams.

Linebacker Duke Riley

Riley, a fifth-year veteran who has started 24 games, is respected league-wide for his special teams prowess. Riley has played for the Falcons and Eagles, who traded for the former LSU standout taken in the third round of the 2017 draft during the 2019 season. Riley has recorded 159 tackles, one interception, half a sack, forced one fumble and recovered one during his 57 games played.

Receiver Kai Locksley

Miami signed Locksley, former UTEP quarterback, with the intention of using the former Junior College standout as a wide receiver. Locksley is the son of Maryland coach Mike Locksley, who was quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s offensive coordinator at Alabama in 2018.

Defensive tackle John Jenkins

Jenkins returns to Miami after one year away. He produced 34 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack as mainly a rotational player who started five games in 2019. He played in 11 games for the Bears last season.

Jenkins will likely play a similar role to the one he had in 2019, bolstering a defensive tackle rotation which includes Christian Wilkins, Raekwon Davis and Zach Sieler.

Offensive lineman D.J. Fluker

The former Alabama standout has started 96 of the 108 NFL games he’s played since 2013.

The 30-year-old will likely serve as a backup to Robert Hunt, the team’s 2020 second-round pick, who settled into the starting right tackle spot last season, and started 11 games as a rookie. It is also possible that Fluker could also end up playing right guard, which is where Solomon Kindley, another 2020 draft pick, and Jesse Davis split reps most of the season.

Defensive back Jason McCourty

McCourty, a 12-year NFL veteran, should bring a wealth of experience to the Dolphins secondary. He can play cornerback and safety.

McCourty played one season, in 2018, under Dolphins coach Brian Flores who was the Patriots’ de-facto defensive coordinator at the time. McCourty has started in 137 of 166 games he has played in with 18 interceptions and 106 pass deflections in his career.

Staying

Linebacker Vince Biegel

The outside linebacker, who became a fan favorite in 2019 for his spunky play, returns to Miami after missing last season with an Achilles tendon tear he suffered during training camp in August. Biegel started in 10 of 15 games for the Dolphins in 2019, where he had 59 tackles, 2.5 sacks and one interception. He’ll likely compete with Andrew Van Ginkel and Sam Eguavoen for the starting outside linebacker roles vacated by the departures of Shaq Lawson and Kyle Van Noy.

Cornerback Nik Needham

The Dolphins placed the exclusive right tender on Needham, a two-year starter, committing to pay the third-year player $850,000 if he makes the 53-man roster, He’ll likely have to beat out Coleman to retain a starting role.

Linebacker Elandon Roberts

The Dolphins re-signed linebacker Roberts after the team captain suffered a serious knee injury late last season. Roberts quickly worked his way up Miami’s depth chart during training camp last season to earn the starting inside linebacker role in Miami’s defense.

Roberts, who played next to Jerome Baker in Miami’s hybrid 3-4 scheme, served as the Dolphins’ run-stopping specialist, finished fourth on the team with 61 tackles. He also contributed one sack, forced one fumble and recovered one fumble in the 13 games he played in before injuring his right knee in Miami’s Dec. 26 win over the Raiders.

Receiver Mack Hollins

Hollins, who was thrust into a prominent receiving role last season and caught critical passes from Tua Tagovailoa and Ryan Fitzpatrick, signed a one-year deal to return to Miami. He had 16 catches for 176 yards and a touchdown in his second season with Miami last year Hollins will provide depth and fills a valuable special-teams role as a gunner.

Linebacker Calvin Munson

The Dolphins placed the exclusive right tender on Munson, a special teams contributor, committing to pay the third-year player $850,000 if he makes the 53-man roster. His best chance to make the roster will be as a special teams ace.

Cornerback Jamal Perry

The Dolphins placed the exclusive right tender on Perry, who served as the backup free safety last season, committing to pay the third-year player $850,000 if he makes the 53-man roster.

Offensive lineman Adam Pankey

The Dolphins placed the original round tender on the fifth-year offensive lineman, committing to paying him $2.13 million in 2021 if he makes the 53-man roster. Pankey served as one of Miami’s top reserves in 2020, and will likely compete to remain one of the team’s top-eight offensive linemen.

Going

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick

Considering Fitzpatrick finished the 2020 season with a 95.6 passer rating — the second-highest of his career — his play for the Dolphins shows he’s worthy of remaining an NFL starter, and it appears Washington will give the 38-year-old a chance in 2021 after signing him to a one-year deal worth $10 million. Miami’s commitment to Tagovailoa as the team’s starter, and Fitzpatrick’s strong hold on the locker room made his return unlikely.

Linebacker Kyle Van Noy

The Dolphins released Van Noy one season after signing him to a four-year, $51 million deal to create $9.75 million in cap savings. During his one season in Miami, he played in 14 games with 13 starts, totaling 69 tackles (46 solo), six sacks forced, two fumbles and recovered two fumbles.

Linebacker Shaq Lawson

Lawson was set to make $7.9 million in base salary in 2021, and his trade to Houston in exchange for McKinney and a swap of late-round picks freed up about $1 million in salary cap space for Miami. Paired with Van Noy’s release, Lawson’s departure makes pass rusher one of the team’s top positions of need heading into April’s draft.

Defensive tackle Davon Godchaux

Godchaux, who started 42 games the past four years before suffering a biceps injury that ended last season prematurely, landed a two-year, $16 million deal from the Patriots. During his absence last season, Davis and Sieler emerged as viable starters and helped Miami improve its run defense.

Center Ted Karras

Karras had a decent season as Miami’s starting center, where he allowed two sacks and committed three penalties as a 16-game starter. But Miami’s run game was inconsistent and the lack of a run-game surge was to blame. Karras returned to New England on a one-year $4 million deal, and Miami will continue to shop for an upgrade, either through free agency or the NFL draft.

Left guard Ereck Flowers

Flowers, who started 14 games for the Dolphins at left guard after being acquired from Washington last offseason, was traded two days before the 2021 NFL draft.

Flowers, a former first-round pick who has started 85 of the 89 games he’s played in the NFL, to Washington, was moved to free up cap space.

The Dolphins have a number of in-house options to replace Flowers in the lineup like Michael Deiter, a former third-round pick who started all but one game at left guard in 2019, and Jesse Davis, who has started 56 games at every position but center on the Dolphins’ offensive line the past four seasons. Solomon Kindley, the Dolphins’ 2020 fourth-round pick, played left guard in college at the University of Georgia, and Miami also has a high opinion of Adam Pankey.

Punter Matt Haack

Haack signed a three-year deal worth $5.5 million with the Bills, and his new deal has incentives that can escalate it to $7 million. The Dolphins wanted to go a cheaper route, which explains why they signed Palardy to one-year deal worth $1 million, which features per game bonuses that will increase it to $1.3 million. But Miami only guaranteed $100,000 to Palardy, which indicates that they could select a punter late in the 2021 draft and have them compete for the job. Haack will be be most remembered by Dolphins fans for his fake field goal touchdown throw to kicker Jason Sanders during the 2019 season against the Eagles, which was recognized as the NFL’s play of the year.

Linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill

Grugier-Hill, a special teams standout who contributed 21 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery last season, signed a one-year deal worth $3.25 million with the Texans.

Running back Matt Breida

Breida signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills. When Miami traded a 2020 fifth-round pick for Breida, the expectation was that he’d compete for a starting spot and become an impactful playmaker. But Myles Gaskins beat out Breida in training camp, and Salvon Ahmed outperformed him during the season. Breida finished his fourth NFL season gaining just 254 rushing yards on 59 carries, and catching nine passes for 96 yards. He didn’t score a touchdown in 2020. Breida will battle Devin Singletary and Zack Moss for playing time with the Bills. Breida spent his first three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, rushing for 1,902 yards and six touchdowns while averaging five yards a carry.

Offensive tackle Julien Davenport

Davenport, the lone holdover from the Laremy Tunsil-Kenny Stills trade with Houston, started eight games for the Dolphins in 2019. But he barely played (55 offensive snaps, and 77 special teams snaps) last season because of the team’s youth movement on the offensive line. He signed with the Indianapolis Colts.

Safety Bobby McCain

McCain, a team captain the previous two seasons, was released in a move that cleared $5.66 million in cap space, but removed the leader of a unit that was a top-10 defense last season. McCain’s job security became unstable when the Dolphins selected Oregon safety Jevon Holland in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft.

And was the strong play by McCain and his unit in 2020 that allowed the Dolphins front seven to use the exotic blitzes that produced the majority of Miami’s 41 sacks. But McCain wasn’t impactful when it came to producing turnovers. He had seven interceptions in 87 games for the Dolphins, which includes 55 starts. Last season, McCain registered 46 tackles and one interception in 16 games.