Miami Dolphins 2022 NFL free agency signings didn’t come with the splash Fins fans wanted, but General Manager Chris Grier didn’t disappoint either.
We officially hit the new league year. Legal tampering sparked rumors of potential free-agent signings for teams as the NFL 2022 free agency kicked off. All NFL fans have their eyes glued to their phones with anticipation. Like every fan, the Miami Dolphins fan base had the guys they wanted to come and help the Fins right away.
The Fins have one goal in mind, building around their third-year quarterback Tua Tagavialoa. Chris Grier hired Mike McDaniel to help a struggling offense, and free agency was the first glimpse inside the plans for the Fins. They have holes to fill with at linebacker, defensive line, and wide receiver. Their most glaring need was running back and offensive line.
Grier went into free agency with a plan. He let some names get away and made some unexpected signings. He didn’t make any splash signings during the legal tampering period, but the moves made sense. This early start to free agency was interesting. The question is, how did Chris Grier do?
Miami Dolphins free agency signings: Honorable Mentions
The honorable mention of early free agents begins with wide receiver Preston Williams. The big-body wideout is a boundary guy who didn’t live up to the splash plays he made as a rookie. Now he has a second chance.
They brought back a pair of linebackers for continuity with Duke Riley and Elandon Roberts. The abovementioned signings were solid for what they were in terms of depth.
Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Grade B-
This is a more critical take than most since backup quarterbacks are important. After all, we’ve seen a backup (Nick Foles) win a title. We saw Colt McCoy step in and keep the Arizona Cardinals’ playoff hopes alive. The Miami Dolphins also saw the downside of having a backup quarterback who couldn’t. With that in mind, Chris Grier took to free agency and signed one of the better quarterbacks on the market, Teddy Bridgewater.
The former first-round pick is a solid NFL starter who played for the Saints, Panthers, and Broncos over the last three seasons. He’s thrown for over 3,000-yards while completing over 66% of his passes. He signed a one-year $6.5 million contract that could increase to $10 million with incentives.
The issue is, Bridgewater contradicts everything the Fins said they wanted to do with their quarterback position. Allegedly, part of the reason Chris Grier shut down the Deshaun Watson rumors was he didn’t want to shake Tua Tagovailoa’s confidence. Instead, he opted to bring in one of the most popular quarterbacks in South Florida history.