Roster move shows faith in LB Roberts
MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins’ release of linebacker Benardrick McKinney saves the team money while also exhibiting the faith Miami has in fellow linebacker Elandon Roberts coming off surgery on his right knee.
Dolphins coach Brian Flores addressed the team’s surprising release of the linebacker acquired in an offseason trade with the Houston Texans on Tuesday after the news leaked Monday.
“For Benardrick, that was obviously a tough decision on our part,” Flores said of McKinney. “Very good player. Thought he did a lot of nice things in training camp.”
Flores said the Dolphins went “back and forth” on whether to make the move away from the 2018 Pro Bowl selection who started 77 games and made 530 tackles in Houston over the past six seasons.
“We’re going to always do what’s best for the team,” Flores said. “Tough decisions are part of that. This was one of them, for sure, but nothing but good things to say about Benardrick. I have a lot of appreciation for his hard work this past month and, really, the spring, as well.”
Roberts has made swift progress in his week-plus since being activated off the physically-unable-to-perform list, getting work with the Dolphins’ first-team defense last week over McKinney.
“We like the guys in the linebacker room. Elandon’s one of them” Flores said. “Elandon’s doing everything he can to get back. Obviously, he came back off PUP [Aug. 19], practiced last week and is moving in the right direction. We feel good about where he is. That factored into some decisions.”
“Elandon going through the right path right now,” Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard said. “I feel like he grinded himself up to this point right now.”
At the end of the day, Roberts is a similar linebacker to McKinney while available at just over $1 million less in base salary in 2021. While McKinney is 6 foot 4, 257 pounds, the 6-foot, 238-pound Roberts packs a similar punch as a tackler and run defender. Cutting McKinney cleared $2.25 million in cap space.
“There’s a lot that goes into it,” Flores said. “I would say that’s one variable, but there’s so many variables when we’re talking about these types of decisions. Position, salary cap, kicking game. There’s a lot of variables, but at the end of the day, we’re going to do what’s best for the team.”
McKinney’s salary for 2021 was down to $3 million because, early in training camp, the Dolphins cut that non-guaranteed figure by $4 million from the $7 million it was when Miami acquired him from the Texans in the deal that sent edge defender Shaq Lawson to Houston.
“That’s just the NFL for you. It’s always a revolving door,” said linebacker Sam Eguavoen, who impressed in the preseason, including a four-sack game against the Falcons. “The GM and the head coach and the owner are always going to do what’s best for the team’s interest. It’s tough.”
Roberts, who has previous experience playing under coach Brian Flores and defensive coordinator Josh Boyer in New England, started 11 games in 2020 and made 61 tackles before his season was cut short in Week 16 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
He was making a quick impact since his return, bringing his trademark energy and loud hits to live tackling sessions of practice.
“A lot of energy. Fast player, smart player,” said running back Malcolm Brown. “A lot of the plays he makes, I feel like it’s off of his knowledge. Just seeing him the couple of times I was able to really watch and see how he is I definitely could tell he’s a smart guy, knows when to trigger, knows his keys, knows everything that he’s doing out there. Vet player that knows a lot about the game.”
Added tight end Durham Smythe of Roberts: “He’s made his presence felt, like he always does. He’ll be an asset to this team, really, across the board from a leadership standpoint and a defensive intensity standpoint.”
Restructured deal for Grant: Jakeem Grant will continue returning kicks and punts for the Dolphins in 2021.
The Dolphins receiver and return specialist was not among Dolphins cuts on Tuesday because he and the team agreed on a restructured contract to keep him in Miami, a league source told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
The final two years of Grant’s deal were removed and his salary for 2021 was lowered from $4.1 million to $3 million. The new contract makes him an unrestricted free agent next offseason.
The restructured deal comes after the Dolphins shopped him around in trade talks to no avail in recent months.
Grant has five return touchdowns in his five seasons in Miami — three punt returns and two on kickoffs. He has accumulated 2,160 kick return yards and 919 punt return yards in that time.