Dolphins live blog: Miami looks to fill multiple needs on Day 1 of free agency

Welcome to the Miami Dolphins live blog on Day 1 of free agency. Every day this week, we’ll be posting up-to-the-minute updates on moves involving or impacting the Dolphins.

The Dolphins accomplished their biggest priority — finding another top-flight cornerback — by acquiring Jalen Ramsey in a trade with the Rams on Sunday.

In free agency, they will look for one or two inside linebackers, multiple running backs and tight ends, backup offensive linemen, at least one safety, a backup quarterback and backup edge players. A player who can compete with Austin Jackson at right tackle also could be added.

The Dolphins so far haven’t re-signed any of their unrestricted free agents, though they did sign restricted free agent running back Salvon Ahmed and tendered exclusive rights free agent Elijah Campbell, who started at safety in the regular-season finale against the Jets.

Miami’s unrestricted free agents include running backs Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson (the team is interested in keeping both), receivers Trent Sherfield and River Cracraft running back Myles Gaskin; quarterback Teddy Bridgewater; tight ends Mike Gesicki and Adam Shaheen; edge players Melvin Ingram, Andrew Van Ginkel and Trey Flowers; inside linebackers Elandon Roberts and Duke Riley; safeties Eric Rowe and Clayton Fejedelem; linebacker Sam Eguavoen; punter Thomas Morstead; defensive tackle John Jenkins; offensive linemen Greg Little, Kendall Lamm, Eric Fisher, Brandon Shell and Gerron Christian and cornerback Justin Bethel.

The Dolphins have about $11 million in cap space but can clear out $24 million or so by converting some of Ramsey’s base salary into signing bonus money. It’s unclear if that had happened by noon Monday.

Keep checking back for fee agent updates throughout the day.

7:30 p.m.: The Dolphins agreed to a new deal with linebacker Duke Riley, a source confirmed. He had 45 tackles, two passes defended and a sack last season in 17 games, including two starts. He’s a solid No. 3 linebacker. With Jerome Baker, David Long and Riley, Miami has three linebackers with good speed - important for a Vic Fangio defense.

Of the Dolphins’ 20 plus unrestricted free agents, Duke Riley is the first to re-sign with Miami. Several who played well for Miami are waiting for offers or better offers.

Last year, the Dolphins took a few days before circling back to some of their own free agents, so it’s not surprising. (Running back Salvon Ahmed, who re-signed, was a restricted free agent.)

6:40 p.m.: The Dolphins augmented their inside linebacker group by agreeing to a two-year, $11 million deal with David Long, who had 86 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games, all starts for Tennessee last season.

He has four interceptions in 50 games and 26 starts for the Titans over the past four years.

New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s linebackers need to be effective in pass coverage and Long is that; he had an 87 passer rating in his coverage area last season, per PFF.

Long missed the last five games with a hamstring injury last season but had 86 tackles and was productive for the Titans when he played.

This could signal the departure of Elandon Roberts, who is a free agent. Duke Riley also is a free agent.

Meanwhile, starting inside linebacker Jerome Baker’s $8.4 million salary becomes guaranteed if he’s on the team Friday. He has a $12.5 million cap hit if he stays.

But if he’s cut or traded before June 1, Miami would have a sizable dead money cap hit on him ($8.7 million) for 2023. The dead money hit for Baker in 2023 would be only $3.7 million if he’s cut or traded after June 1.

So the Dolphins certainly could go with a Baker/Long pairing - a tandem that would be fast and productive - though nothing seemingly can ever be ruled out with this front office.

6 p.m.: Though it was a quiet first six hours for Miami (backup QB Mike White has been the only addition), the case could be made that the Dolphins have closed the game with two of the AFC’s top teams -- Buffalo (which lost linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to Chicago) and Cincinnati (which lost its two skilled safeties). Meanwhile, Miami added a former All Pro cornerback (Jalen Ramsey) who’s still in his prime.

So if the first afternoon of Dolphins free agency was underwhelming, it didn’t leave them further behind two of its AFC foes.

5 p.m: A bunch of safeties have come off the board today -- Vonn Bell (Carolina), Jessie Bates (Atlanta), Marcus Epps (Raiders) -- but the safety linked most often to Miami, Buffalo’s Jordan Poyer, remained unsigned.

Miami hadn’t reached out to Eric Rowe as of this past week, a sign that the Dolphins might want to supplement Jevon Holland, Brandon Jones and Elijah Campbell with a veteran safety.

But any thought that Miami was ready to sign Poyer shortly after the noon free agency window opened proved not to be the case.

4 p.m. update: The most expensive available inside linebacker, Buffalo’s Tremaine Edmunds, is off the market. He agreed to a four year, $72 million deal with Chicago.

The Dolphins still have some good inside linebacker options available, including Lavonte David, Drue Tranquill, Denzel Perryman and David Long. But players are coming off the board.

3 p.m.: The Bengals are re-signing Germaine Pratt to a three-year, $21 million, removing one appealing inside linebacker from the market. The Dolphins have called on multiple inside linebackers, and it’s a position they could address at any time.

1:45 p.m.: The Dolphins are signing Jets free agent Mike White as their backup quarterback, for two years, in a deal that could be worth up $16 million if incentives are met, two league sources confirmed.

The Dolphins spoke to quarterbacks with more starting experience, but weren’t inclined to pay 1A money for a QB, according to an agent of a higher quality backup who spoke with them. “They allocated less on the position than we were looking for,” the agent said.

White has a 75.4 career passer rating, 8 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He’s 2-5 as a starter, including 1-3 for the Jets last season. His QBR was third lowest in the AFC last season.

White had one exceptional game last year (22-28-315, 3 TDs, 0 picks in win vs Chicago). He Was OK in a loss to Bills, but the Jets scored only 12. He threw 0 TDs, 2 interceptions in losses to both Minnesota and Seattle.

In 2021, he was very, very good in one start (37 for 45 for 405, 3 TDs, 2 INTs) in a win against the Bengals on Halloween, dismal in blowout loss to the Bills (24-44, 251, 0 TDs and 4 INTs). So there are major peaks and valleys in his game.

1:30 p.m.: The Dolphins have been proceeding slowly with some of their own free agents, as opposed to offering sizable money at the start. It’s a cautious approach they’ve used with some in the past.

They’ve told a couple of agents of outside free agents that they don’t have a ton of money to spend within the cap.

12:35 p.m. update: The Ravens released former Miami Hurricanes star Calais Campbell, who has had a great career and had 5.5 sacks in 14 starts last season.

But he’s 36, and the Dolphins don’t have the cap space - or the need - to add a pricey defensive end. Other positions take priority.

12:25 p.m.: Denver is signing the top right tackle in the market, 49ers standout Mike McGlinchey, per ESPN. He got four year deal worth $87.5 million, per NFL Network, with more than $50 million guaranteed. Miami didn’t have that type of money to spend on a right tackle.

Dolphins general manager Chris Grier has said he wants Jackson to have an opportunity to compete for the starting job again, which suggests Miami isn’t going to spend big on a right tackle. Jackson missed 15 games due to an ankle injury last season.

Brandon Shell, who played well at right tackle for the Dolphins last season, is a free agent and remains in the mix for Miami, which liked how he played.

12:15 update: The Dolphins have only one running back under contract (Ahmed), and it will be fascinating how that plays out over the next few days.

They’ve shown interest in re-signing Mostert and Wilson, but nothing had been accomplished on that front as of noon on Monday.

But they’ve also monitored other opportunities if that doesn’t work. Minnesota has fielded calls on Dalvin Cook, and that would be a logical option if the Dolphins can’t agree to terms quickly with their current backs and if Minnesota agrees to deal him.

One report Sunday night linked Miami to interest in Philadelphia’s Miles Sanders, but that’s not corroborated. Chargers running back Austin Ekeler is seeking permission for a trade, ESPN reported.

So Miami will have options if Mostert and Wilson don’t agree to terms.

12:10 p.m.. update: One of the top free agent inside linebackers, T.J. Edwards, is off the board: He’s signing with Chicago on a three-year deal worth $19.5 million, per ESPN and NFL Net.

We’re told that the Dolphins have internally discussed Lavonte David, Denzel Perryman, Bobby Wagner and several other inside linebackers. I expect them to reach out to several of them. David and Perryman are both on their radar.

David, who grew up in South Florida, told Josina Anderson: “I’m just sitting back and waiting to see what calls come in and where the best fit is.”

David Long, Germaine Pratt, Drue Tranquill, Bobby Okereke and pricier Tremaine Edmunds are among other names worth monitoring in a deep class. Miami would like to add a new player at that position.