Miami

Dolphins Remove Transition Tag on Olivier Vernon

The Dolphins have elected to remove a transition tag that was placed on Olivier Vernon

The Miami Dolphins have removed the transition tag from Olivier Vernon which will likely lead to the end of his time with the team.

The tag which had been on Vernon would have given Miami an opportunity to match any contract offer Vernon received. The Dolphins are no longer guaranteed that chance and it would simply be an option for Vernon and the team. The veteran may now negotiate and sign with any NFL team without involving Miami. It is unlikely that the Dolphins will be able to beat offers Vernon could see.

The Dolphins have been busy over the past week with contract restructurings, signings, released and trade talks. All of these moves have made their cap number fluctuate and have created additional necessary transactions. It appears that this is the case with Vernon as the team looks for flexibility in an uncertain situation.

After signing Mario Williams on Tuesday, the Dolphins likely need to find a way to make to either retain Vernon or Cameron Wake. The fact that Miami has rescinded this tag should lead to speculation that Wake will remain with the team. Thus far, this has not been confirmed by the team. Wake is under contract for 2016, but there have been reports that the team is looking into an extension.

If Vernon departs via free agency as expected, Miami would be eligible for a compensatory pick. With the transition tag, the team would have received no compensation if they failed to match an offer. This afford the Dolphins at least a consolation prize for losing one of their star players.

Vernon is considered one of the top free-agents overall now, and a leader in a weak class of defensive ends. The 25-year could end up with one of the biggest contracts of this off-season.

Contact Us