Which Dolphins aren’t owed more guaranteed money and how that could affect roster battles

The Miami Dolphins’ most surprising move of the offseason — releasing linebacker Kyle Van Noy — was driven by one simple reality: He had no guaranteed money remaining on his four-year contract; that’s why he was released before his $12.5 million 2021 salary would have become guaranteed in mid-March.

And that brings us to this question: Will the veteran Dolphins who are due no guaranteed money this season — if they do not make the team — survive final roster cuts?

That group includes one of the NFL’s top return men (Jakeem Grant), a reliable veteran who has started 27 games at tight end the past two seasons (Durham Smythe) and one of Miami’s special teams standouts (Clayton Fejedelem).

Others who are competing for roster spots and fall into that no-guaranteed-money category, according to overthecap.com, include receivers Robert Foster, Lynn Bowden, Malcolm Perry and Isaiah Ford; linebackers Elandon Roberts, Vince Biegel, Sam Eguaovoen, Calvin Munson and Shaquem Griffin; running back Patrick Laird, cornerback Jamal Perry and safety Nate Holley.

The drafting of Jaylen Waddle — one of college football’s elite return men in the past two years — has left Grant’s position with the team in question. Miami already is loaded at receiver, and Albert Wilson’s strong camp makes it very likely he will be on the team, with DeVante Parker, Waddle and Will Fuller.

That’s four. It’s unclear if Preston Williams will be ready for the opener off foot surgery last November. There’s a decent chance the Dolphins keep Mack Hollins ($200,000 guaranteed) or Foster because either can play gunner on special teams; Hollins has received some first-team work in camp.

And the Dolphins might not want to give up on Bowden, a Raiders third-round pick in 2020, though he has dropped a few passes in camp.

That leaves Grant in a precarious spot. He would collect his $3.6 million in salary only if he makes the team.

Has Grant thought about whether he will be with the Dolphins this season?

“Honestly not at all,” he said Wednesday. “I’ve been betting on myself my whole life, and it’s not going to stop now…. I’ve never thought about being traded. I want to be here. I’ve been here six years. I love being here.”

Grant was named second-team all-pro as a punt returner last season after finishing third in the league in punt return average at 11.4.

“It meant a lot to me, but it made me more hungry,” he said. “I want to be first-team all-pro. That’s my goal this year.”

He also set career highs in receptions (36) and yards (373) and has looked good in camp.

“Me, Tua [Tagovailoa] and Jacoby [Brissett] have connected on a lot of deep balls,” Grant said. “They’ve been giving me a chance to use my speed to outrun guys. I dropped a couple deep balls I’m not proud of [last season]. At camp, you can tell I’ve been working on it because I haven’t dropped one yet.”

But the Dolphins still might need to eat some guaranteed money at the position. Receiver Allen Hurns, for example, must be paid $1.3 million of his $1.9 million salary if he’s released.

At tight end, the Dolphins might need to do something unusual and keep five: Mike Gesicki, Smythe, Adam Shaheen, H-back/tight end Cethan Carter and rookie third-round pick Hunter Long.

Smythe is the incumbent starter (13 last season), but only he and Gesicki are not owed any guaranteed money. Shaheen has $1.5 million guaranteed this season, Carter $1.2 million. Smythe would earn $2.2 million if he makes the team; it would be surprising if he’s not on the team.

“If you continue to improve, there will be a place for you somewhere,” Smythe said. “That’s the only mentality you can have.”

At safety, the Dolphins would wipe out Fejedelem’s entire $2.3 million salary and $2.5 million cap hit by releasing him and keeping a cheaper safety, such as Holley, who is due to earn $780,000 if he sticks.

Linebacker also presents a financial question. The five roster bubble players with completely nonguaranteed contracts all make between $850,000 and $1.4 million (in Roberts’ case). Conversely, two backups competing for jobs have guaranteed money due.

The Dolphins guaranteed $500,000 of Duke Riley’s $990,000 salary, suggesting they believe he will make the team. They did the exact same thing — at those exact same numbers — with linebacker Brennan Scarlett, who has had a good camp.

Some players were given small guarantees that likely won’t weigh heavily into whether they stick. That group includes defensive tackle John Jenkins ($100,000 of his $1.1 million salary was guaranteed), impressive Syracuse rookie cornerback Trill Williams ($100,000 of his $660,000 salary was guaranteed in a deal Miami inherited from New Orleans when the Dolphins plucked him off waivers) and offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor and cornerback Cre’Von LeBlanc (for both of those players, $100,000 of their $990,000 salaries were guaranteed).

If the Dolphins want to keep or cut those four, those small guarantees shouldn’t be a large consideration.

If Michael Dieter continues to hold off Matt Skura for the starting center job, keep in mind that only $200,000 of Skura’s $1.6 million salary is guaranteed. The Dolphins still could keep Skura as the backup or the cheaper Cameron Tom, who is due $850,000 with no guaranteed money.

And one special teams note: Only $100,000 of new punter Michael Palardy’s $1 million deal is guaranteed, leaving Miami the financial flexibility to look elsewhere if he struggles in preseason.