Report: Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson To Visit Fins
DAVIE (CBSMiami) – The Miami Dolphins spent a lot of money in free agency last year at the linebacker position, inking both Dannell Ellerbe and Phillip Wheeler to large contracts. But, both underperformed with the Dolphins this year and the Fins may be looking at replacing one of them with D'Qwell Jackson.
According to the Tennesseean, Jackson will visit with the Dolphins Monday night as part of his free agent tour.
The former Cleveland Browns linebacker finished last season with 141 tackles which were the seventh most in the National Football League. He's 30-years-old, but has been producing at a high level for years in Cleveland.
The Dolphins would most likely have to cut or trade either Ellerbe or Wheeler if the team was to sign Jackson. CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald reported the Dolphins are very intrigued by the potential of adding Jackson to the defense.
Based on their salary cap numbers, via overthecap.com, cutting Philip Wheeler as a post June 1 cut would cost the Dolphins approximately $6.4 million against the cap. The same scenario for Ellerbe would cost around a million dollars more for the Fins.
The Dolphins started out Monday with more than $39 million in salary cap space available. The Fins re-signed cornerback Brent Grimes to a 4-year contract that will take a chunk of the cap space. The team could also clear $5.4 million in cap space by cutting cornerback Dimitri Patterson at any time.
