Dolphins sign draft class to deals
The Dolphins have signed all seven members of their 2015 draft class, including wide receiver DeVante Parker, the first-round pick from Louisville, the team announced Thursday night. That means all of the draftees will be under contract and at the three-day rookie camp that begins Friday.
Parker signed a four-year, $10.9 million contract, according to a NFL source.
The Dolphins have also signed defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, the secondround pick from Oklahoma, guard Jamil Douglas, the fourth-round pick from Arizona State, cornerback Bobby McCain, the fifthround pick from Memphis, running back Jay Ajayi, the fifth-round pick from Boise State, safety Ced Thompson, the fifth-round pick from Minnesota, and cornerback Tony Lippett, the fifth-round pick from Michigan State.
Parker, generally regarded as the third-best receiver in the draft behind Alabama’s Amari Cooper (Oakland) and West Virginia’s Kevin White (Chicago), will get a $6.2 million signing bonus. The Dolphins, as is the case with all first-round picks, have the option to sign Parker to a fifth year after the third year of his contract.
McCain signed a fouryear, $2.508 million deal with a $228,000 signing bonus, according to a source. Terms of all the contracts aren’t known.
Collins signs with Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys signed undrafted LSU guard La’el Collins to a three-year deal Thursday worth a re- ported $1.65 million. That means the Miami Dolphins, who sent a contingent of players to visit the prized rookie, will miss out on a prime opportunity to solidify their offensive line.
Collins, the All-American who was being considered by the Dolphins in the first round, went undrafted after his pregnant ex-girlfriend was murdered days before the draft.
Collins was never named a suspect or even a person of interest, but he wasn’t officially cleared by police, either.
Teams began pursuing him this week. He was wooed by the Buffalo Bills and Dolphins in addition to Dallas, which already had one of the NFL’s best offensive lines.
The Dolphins sent wide receiver Jarvis Landry, linebacker Kelvin Sheppard and defensive tackle An- thony Johnson, all LSU alums, along with center Mike Pouncey to speak with Collins earlier this week.
Collins likely could have started at one of the Dolphins’ guard spots. Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner are penciled in as starters, although the Dolphins drafted guard Jamil Douglas (Arizona State) in the fourth round and signed veteran guard Jeff Linkenbach.
Collins’ deal with Dallas is reportedly fully guaranteed, which might have given the Cowboys an edge over other suitors.
The Dolphins were believed to have an inside track on signing Collins because Mike Tannenbaum, the executive vice president of football operations, worked for Priority Sports, the agency that is representing Collins.