The Miami Dolphins continued their roster makeover when they acquired Kenny Stills from the New Orleans Saints on Friday.
Miami will send Dannell Ellerbe and its third-round pick to New Orleans to complete the deal. Ellerbe who is a linebacker was set to earn $8.425 million next season with the Dolphins. The 29-year old was likely going to be cut by Miami if not for this trade. His salary was considered significantly higher than his recent production warranted.
Stills is on a team-friendly deal as he is still on his initial rookie contract. Stills will only earn $585,000 in 2015 before taking home $675,000 the following year. This will give Miami a good deal of salary cap flexibility. Recently, Miami added Ndamukong Suh on a record deal and it can now easily add more weapons for head coach Joe Philbin.
Stills will turn 23 in April and has the ability to be a difference maker for an offense that badly needs one. In his two years with New Orleans, Stills had eight touchdowns with the longest going for 76 yards.
Despite playing one less game in 2014 than he did his rookie year, Stills nearly doubled his reception total. The wide receiver brought in 63 passes last year and could become a top target for Ryan Tannehill in Miami. The quarterback will have multiple new options available to him after Miami added Jordan Cameron a day earlier as well.
The acquisition of Stills could seal Mike Wallace's fate. The WR was rumored to have been on the block previously and a move could come together faster now.
