Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier promised in April that safety Reshad Jones “is going to be here.” But now comes word from Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that the team prefers to trade Jones, if they get a deal to their liking.
Jones has skipped the team’s voluntary offseason program but is expected to attend this week’s mandatory minicamp. The Dolphins have had cornerback Bobby McCain practicing at safety in Jones’ absence, with McCain joining T.J. McDonald and Minkah Fitzpatrick in giving Miami plenty of depth at the position.
Jones, 31, is rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery and not expected to be in the Dolphins’ long-term rebuilding plans. He has a $17.2 million salary cap charge, but if the Dolphins can trade him, they will have only $4 million in dead money and $13 million in cap savings.
As Jackson points out, it would not benefit the Dolphins to cut Jones since they would have a $17.1 million dead money hit, and $11 million of his $13 million base salary this season in guaranteed.
But who is going trade for Jones and pay him that salary? The Dolphins likely are going to have the two-time Pro Bowler on their roster this season, making Grier’s April assurance true.