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After a season where he called into question how he was being used and had his effort questioned by teammates, along with registering just five sacks, Mario Williams was released by the Buffalo Bills. He immediately got rumored interest from multiple teams, but the Miami Dolphins emerged as the front-runner and they have reportedly agreed to terms on a two-year, $17 million deal with Williams.
Former Bills and Texans DE Mario Williams and Miami Dolphins reached agreement on 2-year deal, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2016
The move to sign Williams will now have a domino effect on the Dolphins’ situation at defensive end. The transition tag that was placed on free agent Olivier Vernon has been rescinded, and there’s talk Cameron Wake will be released. Letting Wake go is reasonable, since he’s 34 and had his 2015 season ended by a torn Achilles, but Vernon is just 25 years old and his best football could be ahead of him.
The Dolphins continue to try to win the month of March, which has its place in certain ways but has not translated to on-field success. They never seemed committed to keeping Vernon around long-term, dating back into last season, and now they’ve added a recognizable name like Williams under the perception that he’s still a star.
Vernon may sign an inflated contract on Wednesday, with the Jacksonville Jaguars‘ aggressive overpay for Malik Jackson as a barometer, but he at least has some realistic upside. There’s something to be said about wanting to prove others wrong — in particular a chance to play against Rex Ryan and the Bills twice a year — which may have driven the decision from Williams’ end.
But Miami will now pay to see if one of their division rivals misused him, or if Williams is a declining player on the wrong side of 30. Time will tell if losing Vernon was worth it, but Dolphins fans should not be optimistic.
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