Miami Dolphins 2015 Profiles: Olivier Vernon

The Miami Dolphins have a good-looking defense on paper as we head into the 2015 season, and that’s thanks to an elite defensive line that includes $100-million free agent signing Ndamukong Suh and 11.5-sack star Cameron Wake. But the Dolphins dominance up front doesn’t stop there, as athletic edge rusher Olivier Vernon, 2014 offseason signing Earl Mitchell, and 2015 signing (and Suh’s two-year teammate with the Detroit Lions) C.J. Mosley are also deserving of praise.

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Wake’s pass rushing prowess is well-known, as the former CFL star once had 15 sacks in a season. But his partner in crime, Vernon, has to be one of the most underrated players at the position, and he had 6.5 sacks last year after producing 11.5 in an unsurprising breakout 2014 campaign.

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Of course, Vernon’s work up front goes beyond the sack stats, because he’s one of the best 4-3 DEs in the league at consistently putting pressure on the quarterback. The 6’2″, 268-pound Hurricanes product missed ten tackles last season, per Pro Football Focus, but, for the most part he’s an above-average run defender.

Heading into his third season in the league as a starter (he flashed as a rookie with 3.5 sacks), Vernon certainly qualifies as an ascending player and is just 24. Mike Tannenbaum obviously likes him, and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported earlier this year that Vernon is interested in an extension.

It’s comforting for Dolphins fans to hear that a key starter whom the organization likes would prefer to stick around for a few more years after playing college ball in the same area, but, of course, we haven’t heard any reports of the organization opening up extension talks with him. The Suh signing and the presence of Wake end up making keeping Vernon less of a priority, and there are probably teams out there that are more willing to tie up significant money in the young, explosive edge rusher than the Dolphins, who have invested plenty up front already, are.

Vernon currently has one year left on his rookie deal and is obviously a bargain at $700,000, so it will be interesting to see what he’ll target on a new deal. He has the numbers, youth, and physical tools to earn big money at a marquee position, especially since teams, as evidenced by the contracts given to 3-4 DEs such as Corey Liuget this offseason, seem more willing to pay players based on prospective judgment (marking a slight, but refreshing step in overall investment strategy).

This all bodes well for Vernon, especially since he became a more consistent player in his second season as a starter. Sure, his sack totals fell by five, but his efficiency as a pass rusher increased, as did his run defense. If he can continue to make strides in his third season (I fully expect him to), then he’ll be at peak value if he hits the open market at 25.

Oct 26, 2014; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon (50) tackles Jacksonville Jaguars running back Denard Robinson (16) at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Richard Dole-USA TODAY Sports

And with Suh taking more pressure off of him than Wake and Mitchell alone, Olivier Vernon is poised for even more impressive box score stats. I think the Dolphins, even with the money they are spending on Suh and Wake, will be more than okay with franchising Vernon in 2016 if they aren’t able to sign him to a deal of their liking.

The Miami Dolphins defensive line will undoubtedly be one of the most exciting units to watch next season, and they will be able to feast on three favorable interior offensive line matchups in their division. Vernon has his work cut out for him at times as the right end, but, again, with all the talent set to help him out next season, a double-digit sack season is right in his grasps, so the Suh signing couldn’t have come at a better time for a productive edge rusher with amazing athleticism than in the final year of his rookie deal.

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