The Dolphins were given the opportunity to pick up a fifth-year option on their starting center and they pounced on it.
The team announced Tuesday that they have exercised the 2015 option on center Mike Pouncey’s contract. Pouncey is the 15th first-round pick from the 2011 draft to have their option picked up and that group is expected to grow before the May 3 deadline.
Pouncey was named in the Ted Wells report as one of tackle Jonathan Martin’s harassers and may still face league discipline as a result, but his play over his first three seasons still made the decision to extend him an easy one for the Dolphins. Pouncey has missed two games since joining Miami and is a foundation piece as the Dolphins try to rebuild their offensive line.
Pouncey is set to make $7.438 million in 2015 under the option, but there’s already been talk about an extension in the wake of the deal Browns center Alex Mack signed this offseason. With the option exercised, the Dolphins now have another year to work on reaching a deal.