Looking at the contracts of Suh and Tannehill

[FTLDOLFAN]

2016

Suh's cap number will be $28.6M. If we cut or trade him we will have $53.8M in dead money so its safe to say that Suh will be a Dolphin in 2016.

Tannehill's cap number will be $11.6M. If we cut or trade him we will have $18.5M in dead money so he should also be back with the Dolphins in 2016.

2017

Suh's cap number will be $15.1M. If we cut or trade him we will have $25.2M in dead money. His cap number is relatively team friendly and with over $25M in dead money I think Suh will still be with the Dolphins in 2017.

Tannehill's cap number will be $20.3M. If we cut or trade him we will have $6.9M in dead money. If Tannehill doesn't look significantly better than he does now then I think we will part ways with him after the 2016 season. He will have had 5 years to prove himself by then and thats enough time.

2018

Suh's cap number will be $22.1M. If we cut or trade him we will have $10.2M in dead money. This will be a tough call. Thats a very high cap number for one player but $10M is also a lot of dead money. It will probably come down to how well Suh performs in 2017 if we keep him around in 2018.

2019

Suh's cap number will be $24.1M. If we cut or trade him we will have $5.1M in dead money. I think this is where we part ways with Suh after the 2018 season. By 2019 Suh won't be worth over $24M and $5M in dead money is manageable.

So I predict that Tannehill will be released or traded after the 2016 season and Suh will be released after the 2018 season.

[Wulf]

I have to say that if they play as they have the last 4 games, the sooner, the better. If they play up to their contracts though, who could say at this point, what we will do down the road...

[kelbail21]

Even though trading Henne, I mean Tannehill, will generate a lot of dead money at the end of this season, it's possible to soften the blow if our front office plays their cards right. First off, Tannenbaum needs to sell Tannehill like Stephen Ross sells real estate.. "He put up pretty good numbers the last two years. He did it under a lot of defensive pressure. He's gotten little support from an unstable administration. He was limited in his ability to audible out of bad situations. And after we absorb the initial financial hit, his contract is very team friendly with easy opt outs each year.." In return, Tannenbaum gets us a 1st round pick for sure and hopefully an additional 3rd. The money saved by signing a QB to a rookie deal over four years more than makes up for the money lost. And, we have a future again. The two 1st round picks net us QB Connor Cook and MLB Jaylon Smith. Our 2nd rounder gets us a CB. We are instantly a much better team. We"ll have a QB that can run a pro style offense, a MLB that makes plays, sets the tone and makes the whole defense better around him. A 2nd round CB, from a competent GM, nets us a legitimate starting caliber cover man. The two 3rd rounders get us two more OGs.
I have no confidence in Tannehill, whatsoever. He's proven to me over 3 1/4 years in the NFL that he hasn't gotten better because he doesn't know where he needs to improve, The man doesn't seem to understand the game. He doesn't understand the intricacies of the position, he's slow on his feet (unless he's running the one play that makes people say he is mobile), he doesn't see the whole field, he can't read the rush while dropping back, he can't anticipate receivers that will break open, he has no situational awareness ,he gives up on plays way to early, etc. etc. I hope the plug gets pulled before too long on Lazor which will move us one step closer to shipping Tannehill out.

[cuchulainn]

Little early to be writing these guys off -especially Suh, who despite the team's problems this season - is on a HOF track at DT. Let's have these conversations next season for both guys.

[FTLDOLFAN]

Little early to be writing these guys off -especially Suh, who despite the team's problems this season - is on a HOF track at DT. Let's have these conversations next season for both guys.

I wasn't writing Suh off at all. I predicted that he will be with the Dolphins for 3 more years after this season.

[cuchulainn]

I wasn't writing Suh off at all. I predicted that he will be with the Dolphins for 3 more years after this season.

Yes, I but I see these conversations as moot. The CAP changes every season. There could be other considerations as well... and like other players, they could be traded or released for other reasons as well, not just cap hit.

YMMV.

[Phintim Menace]

The hard part of this discussion for me is figuring out how to get rid of our best players to save Ross some money. I read often how to get rid of RT or Suh or Miller. I just don't get it and glad none of us is the GM. Let's figure out how to replace OLinemen, Linebackers, Safeties and corners. Let's start with the positions where we don't even have legitimate NFL starters rather than ridding ourselves of all of our pro-bowlers first, so we can replace them with future 5th round draft picks. First and foremost I have no sympathy for Ross' financial position. Secondly, if we want to clean house on this roster I would look at Suh 53rd, Tannehill 52nd, Miller 51st. They are literally the last 3 players on the entire roster I would be trying to replace. Now I always believe you upgrade when and where you can and best players play. But I haven't heard one legitimate replacement mentioned on here. Just I would dump these guys, save their salary and draft the next RGIII out of college next year. NO THANKS!

[cuchulainn]

Agreed....

[Daytona Dolfan]

Only difference Landry would be 53. You can't coach heart.

[cuchulainn]

Not that I worry about this sort of stuff, but still this was brought up - From Dave Hyde...

When the details of Ndamukong Suh’s contract came out, it was expected the team would somehow get out from under the $28.6 million salary-cap number on him next season. Now it’s clear how they will: There’s a clause in the contract allowing the Dolphins to spread a year’s base salary over five years, according to a source.

Suh’s base salary is $23.5 million next season. Amoritize that over five years and it’s $4.7 million a year. So combine that with the $5.1 million annual signing bonus money and Suh's salary-cap number next year is a manageable $9.8 million.

Also, the Fins only have $10M allocated at WR in 2016. $5.5M of that allocated to Jennings, who will never see it.
Stills, Parker, and Landry only account for just over $4M combined in 2016.

If we choose to, we can resign Matthews with three low contracts in place, and still have time and space to determine what to do with the other contracts.