Report: Dolphins to release LB Kyle Van Noy
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As the Miami Dolphins begin to brace for the upcoming 2021 NFL offseason, the team is going to be faced with some difficult decisions in order to best align themselves for additions for the roster. The Dolphins are already well positioned relative to the rest of the league — but they are apparently considering a major move that would open up even more cap space to allow the team to add more cap space to their books ahead of March 17th. A new report, coming from ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe, indicated that the Dolphins are considering cutting one of their free agent additions from just one year ago: linebacker Kyle Van Noy.
Dolphins LB Kyle Van Noy is a potential cap casualty who could be released before league year begins, source tells ESPN.
Talks are ongoing about releasing Van Noy in the coming days, a move that'd save Miami $9.75M in cap space. Andrew Van Ginkel would move into larger role.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) March 2, 2021
But the news moves fat in the offseason — and a second report quickly followed from Mike Garafolo; this one more definitive. Van Noy is reportedly done in Miami.
The #Dolphins have informed LB Kyle Van Noy he will be released, source says. @CameronWolfe indicated this might be coming. It's confirmed.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 2, 2021
The fact that Van Noy was even a cut candidate is a testament to how the Dolphins structured their contract with Van Noy last March. Miami and the former Patriots linebacker agreed on a 4-year, $51M contract and $30M of that figure was classified as guaranteed money.
But should the Dolphins opt to cut Van Noy ahead of the start of the league calendar, Miami will save nearly $10M in cap for the 2021 season and incur a $4.125M penalty in dead cap for the upcoming season. That is, all considered, an easy to swallow number relative to the initial terms of the deal. And that’s the most important thing to remember with how Miami spent last offseason: the Dolphins spent money, but they spent it in a different fashion than how the team had been conducting business in the past.
In prior seasons, Miami’s cap expenditure was bogged down by deferred guarantees. These Dolphins, under the direction of Chris Grier, are putting more guaranteed money in the front of the deal — allowing the team to have more flexibility year over year.
There’s no better example than the reported split with Van Noy just one year into a contract worth $51M. And, to the Dolphins’ credit, they’ll owe him less than $5M in dead cap for his trouble.
