The Miami Dolphins landed 2015's biggest free agency when they locked in Ndamukong Suh to a massive contract. The deal will be made official when the new league year starts on Tuesday at 4 p.m. However, the signing of Suh cannot be the only deal the Dolphins make this offseason. It simply will not be enough. As the team continues to sort through other options on the open market before the NFL Draft, the move everyone is waiting to hear about is a decision regarding Mike Wallace.
There is no question Wallace is currently in limbo down in South Beach, but the longer Miami takes to make a decision, the more likely the wide receiver is to stick around. The Dolphins first moves of the offseason were to release Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson. They put a tender on Charles Clay which leaves the receiving group up to the tight end and Jarvis Landry. However, the Buffalo Bills are making a real run at Clay which could mean he departs as well. That is not enough if the Dolphins are going keep Ryan Tannehill trending upwards which is why a decision on Wallace is critical.
According to the Miami Herald, Wallace is likely not getting traded or released and will stick around for at least another year. The wide receiver is owed $9 million this upcoming year and is a high cap hit and perceived locker room issue. However, Wallace has expressed his desire to stick around in South Beach while Tannehill told the media that he and the receiver had no issues with one another and he was hopeful they could continue being teammates.
Right now, Wallace's contract is not out of line with what the market is offering up. Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas are both set to earn $13 million with their one-year franchise tag. Randall Cobb signed a deal paying him $10 million. Wallace's contract is not totally out of line. However, the Dolphins are also planning on signing Tannehill to an extension which could be worth upwards of $100 million. Wallace's cap hit paired with the new giant deal for Suh could hurt the effort.
The Dolphins also need some running back depth. Lamar Miller is a good option, but not an every-down back. The Dolphins might look for more affordable options outside of the high-priced players like CJ Spiller or DeMarco Murray and chase someone like Justin Forsett, Shane Vereen or Roy Helu. If Tannehill is going to have success, offensive upgrades are just as important as the defensive signings.