If the Miami Dolphins are planning to have fun in free agencies next week – and that seems to be all they do, the team has gained a much-needed clarity on who their top priorities will be. From 4pm EST this afternoon is the NFL window to designate free agents to indicate as ‘franchise players’ under the franchise label; a deadline that sparked a lot of action in the league as teams had to retain their best players with contracts that had expired. Some, such as designating the safety of Justin Simmons of the Broncos, were expected. Others, such as the Jaguars’ decision to put OT Cam Robinson under the franchise label, will have no bearing on the Dolphins.
But one free agent who according to Miami is a potential target is intact by the deadline for the franchise label – because the Green Bay Packers chose not to place the retiring Aaron Jones under the control of the label. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the team will continue to work next week to bring about a longer extension of the contract with Jones to keep him in Green Bay.
The Dolphins, who have seen a number of prospective targets being pulled from the market, will reportedly look very closely at Jones if he is still available next Monday in the “legal tampering” window of free agency – and Jones is reported that he was mutually interested in taking his talents to South Florida.
If the Dolphins were to sign Jones, it would give the team some flexibility in the early parts of the 2021 NFL draft. And that could offer Miami a more influential player early in the draft, while also allowing them to put a player in a more valued position and keep him under a new contract for a few seasons.
So there is talent and economic motivation for Miami to pursue Jones – and that makes a lot of sense, provided the Dolphins are not in line with the proposed numbers that a new contract would cost Jones (more than $ 10 million per season)) . The price should be right for Miami. But we now know that the $ 11 million franchise price was too high for Green Bay – which bodes well for the Dolphins’ potential to land Jones at a more reasonable price next week.