Dolphins release cornerback Richard Marshall

AP

Any team that is looking for a veteran cornerback is in luck:  Richard Marshall has become available.

Per a league source, the Dolphins released Marshall on Tuesday.  Originally drafted by the Panthers six years ago in round two, Marshall spent six years in Carolina followed by one with the Cardinals.  He signed a three-year contract in 2012 with the Dolphins.

Injuries limited Marshall to four games in his first season with the Dolphins.  In early November, Marshall landed on injured reserve.

Cutting him allows the Dolphins to avoid a $4.55 million base salary.  He instantly becomes a free agent.

Marshall had been listed as a starter in the team’s online depth chart, across from 2013 arrival Brent Grimes.  Dimitri Patterson is identified as Marshall’s primary backup, with Nolan Carroll as the other second-string option.

The Dolphins tried to trade Marshall, but no one was willing to absorb his contract, which also had a $5.3 million base salary in 2014.

Though Marshall likely won’t make $4.55 million elsewhere in 2013 base salary, he’ll likely be in demand.

The Dolphins haven’t closed the door, we’re told, on bringing him back, depending on the offers he receives on the open market.

67 responses to “Dolphins release cornerback Richard Marshall

  1. The Panthers should roll out the red carpet for him to return. He would win a starting CB job over either/or/both Captain “Shorty” Munnerlyn & Drayton (Geezer) Florence.

    C’mon GM Dave Gettleman – act fast, he won’t be on waivers very long.

  2. “It’s a shame when people like this get cut, while in Minnesota, people who wouldn’t make the CFL are still playing.”

    Not at all, most of those guys are just bodies for the 3rd and 4th preseason game. It’s actually better for him to be cut now and have a chance to catch on somewhere before teams set their 53 man rosters.

  3. I remember him being in demand a few years ago when Asomugha went to Philly. Someone will pick him up.

  4. redfield11 says:
    Aug 20, 2013 8:28 PM
    Even as a cowboys fan, a team with great corners, I would be ecstatic to have this guy. Very underrated corner.

    Did you just say the Cowboys have great corners? That in a nutshell is why that fan base is the worst ever.

  5. With former panthers db coach ron milus now in SD and the depth issues the chargers are having, i’d be suprised if richard didn’t land in 619

  6. Cowboys have Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne, so yes, they have great corners. CLW1906 – you are ignorant

  7. They must like what they have in the rookies and the other free agents, or Marshall just hasn’t fully recovered his game after the back issue.

  8. This is more a product of Will Davis tearing it up in the preseason than anything Marshall did wrong.

    I wouldn’t be surprised to see Miami ink Brent Grimes, Solia or Starks to contract extensions now. They have over 20 mil in cap space now

  9. It’s a great sign of the times in Miami…. Last year the CBs were the only weakness on that Defense and now they are loaded enough to cut a “starter”. I bet they were trying to trade for a RG or TE. Oh well, yes they saved a ton of money, but it was a good gesture to let him go now and give him more time to settle in with his new Team. Maybe Jeff Ireland has actually learned some basic human interactive skills.

  10. I wonder if this had anything to do with Dustin Keller getting hurt….free up cap or something to bring in another TE via trade or something. Or is it just due to Marshal poor preseason play and last year injury….maybe they think he not the same player he was before injury and not worth the money

  11. ” . . . while in Minnesota , people who wouldn’t make the CFL are still playing.” Hilarious , but true. The sad thing is , I remember when the Vikings , circa 1987-88 , had far and away the best secondary in the NFL , with Issaic Holt and Carl Lee at corner and Joey Browner at safety. And if teams tried to run ball on the Vikes , they were met at or behind the line of scrimmage by the likes of Keith Millard , Chris Doleman and Henry Thomas. Not exactly a fun bunch of guys for an offense to go up against back then.
    Hopefully , the two defensive studs they selected in the first round this year , Florida State’s Xavier Rhodes and Florida’s Sharrif Floyd will turn out to be studs for them.

  12. Didnt see this coming. They must really be high on the rookies from the draft which is awesome if they both pan out.

  13. Ireland’s a bona fide tool. His name should be MisFireland. Phins will continue to be bottom feeders as long as he’s the GM.

  14. It figures. Ireland and Philbin acted like they signed Reggie White when they got this guy. They said he was better than Vontae Davis. Another epic Dolphin Ross-regime failure.

  15. theres gonna be alot of big name players that will be cut in the next 2 weeks, teams should be patient , there will be several good players to get cut

  16. Surprised! cos ricky’s seemed pretty solid in the limited time he’s played for Miami. But this must mean our rookie corners are stepping it up and patterson must be playing better than ricky ricardo.. Will Davis, remember that name if your team does not play on AFC East! 😉 #GOFINS

  17. I know the Patriots were seriously interested in Dickie Marshall before he signed that deal with Miami, but for sure weren’t willing to give him that type of contract (guess they were right?).

    Not sure what he got for a signing bonus/Guaranteed money but if he’s looking to win, come up the coast to New England. So far – and its a big so far, the Pats D is smothering. Absolutely dominant, aside from that 1 play to DJax. It looks like its coming together. And that means look out league.

    We could definitely use another corner for obvious reasons. Dennard who’s awesome, might end up in the whooskow cuz of his DUI mid probation(idiot). He’d be our starting corner behind “Aquib mindsetistowin Talib”.

  18. COWBOYS Corners:

    We do have great corners, brandon carr was the top FA corner a year ago, did well against top receivers in the nfl despite no safety help, then across form him is Morris Claiborne who most scouts say is the better cover corner to come out in decades (cover, lacking in run support).

    And then scandrick has identical stats to corltand finnegan, and that is the 3rd string corner.

    YES, the cowboys DO have good corners.

  19. Oh by the way Patterson/Grimes combo watch out all the Fins need is a S (Clemons is garbage) … Hey Jeffrey Buffalo Safety J. Byrd signed his one year $7m Franchise tender today … he will be a free agent … get that man to sign and the Miami Pound Machine will be rolling again!!!!

  20. bluestar4ever says:
    Aug 20, 2013 9:09 PM
    Cowboys have Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne, so yes, they have great corners. CLW1906 – you are ignorant

    Again your fan base are a bunch of clowns. This defense was #19 in the league against the pass and that’s good corner play?! Lol your fan base is a delusional out of touch we are going to the Super Bowl every year and never make the playoffs overrated player having choking QB having overhyped losers!

  21. Marv says:
    Aug 20, 2013 8:25 PM
    So he was picked six years ago and spent 8 in the NFL since? Pretty impressive feat.

    ————————————————

    Teams don’t care about 4.4 speed anymore. Nowadays they’re all about time travel.

  22. Why cut him now? After seeing the large amount of injuries and miami starters playing the most minutes coming up in preseason game three, why not wait to make sure we get out of that game injury free at CB? Questioning leadership for the first time in Miami.

  23. So many teams can use him- Lions just signed Rashean Mathis, an old CB who played little and ineffectively last year after an ACL tear; isn’t Claiborne hurt with Dallas?

    Everyone can use depth, too. This guy won’t be out for long.

  24. More questions. Is Patterson locked at slot? If so, is there a two or three way battle for RCB? Do play Carroll at safety or corner? Do we keep Carroll at all? What about RJ Stanford? Cornerback position just got more cloudy.

  25. Why are people so concerned with the safety position? This is the first time in YEARS that Miami has had the luxury of having two serviceable starting-quality safeties return for a second season.

    Brent Grimes is a lock at the 1. Dimitri Patterson played great in Week 16 & 17 last year and definitely out-played Richard Marshall all throughout camp so far. Nolan Carroll is a Special Teams stud and is a decent backup who right now is more talented then both new rookies through his experience.

    Yes, Jamar Taylor hasn’t had the opportunity to go through as many reps, but Will Davis has been healthy all camp and has shown consistent progress throughout the last few months. He may be a liability in coverage right now, but the ceiling is high with all the interceptions he’s notched up in the last few months. He’s been a pick-machine.

    The future is bright. Miami still has over $10 mil in cap space left, so dumping Marshall’s $4.55 mil along with Dan Carpenter’s $2+ mil salary has taken more cap burden off of the franchise.

    Miami has A LOT of money carrying over into 2014 at this point. At the very least, the last 2 depth chart casualties will pay for part of Mike Wallace’s base salary next year.

  26. Saw him in camp several time this year… he’s just doesn’t seem to have “it” anymore. His back is probably worse than many think.

    Youth movement is underway.

  27. I’m not sure where some people that have posted get their ideas from. As a Dolphin fan who has seen this guy play almost every snap, he’s a very average corner. The dolphins have younger, and CHEAPER corners on their rosters that are just as talented with a much higher ceiling. This make total sense for numerous reasons. He was a professional and I wish him the best.

  28. Given that the Dolphins’ O-line is suspect, my suspicion is that this move is potentially aimed towards freeing up a chance at acquiring another lineman through free-agency or even a trade, one that costs solid money to have on your roster.

  29. The Dolphins make cuts based on salary rather than ability. Ireland lets the costly good players leave and then looks in the bargain basement for a replacement. As a result, we have no depth and fragile starters. We have problems at DB, OL and TE. Add the Place Kicker to this list.

    There are about three CB worse than the guy they cut. We saved $4.4 million though!

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