The Miami Dolphins entered the offseason with the most cap space of any team in the NFL, so there is reason to believe they could be active in free agency once the new league year kicks off March 16.
It's also logical to think there are certain teams whose free agents they could targeting more than others, and that's those who used to employ the various new coaches on the Dolphins staff.
To be sure, there's something to be said for familiarity and knowing what makes a player tick, so we'd certain look to the San Francisco 49ers, former team of head coach Mike McDaniel, assistant head coach/tight ends Jon Embree and wide receivers coach Wes Welker; the Los Angeles Chargers, former team of offensive coordinator Frank Smith; the Kansas City Chiefs, former team of cornerbacks coach/pass game specialist Sam Madison; and the Jacksonville Jaguars, former team of quarterbacks coach Darrell Bevell.
Already we've seen the Dolphins signing "street" free agents who had spent some time with the 49ers, such as edge defender Daeshon Hall and wide receiver River Cracraft.
It was that way when Adam Gase took over as head coach and looked to former players such as Jay Cutler and Josh Sitton or when Brian Flores became head coach and the Dolphins brought in former New England players like Eric Rowe, Elandon Roberts, Adam Butler and Jason McCourty.
With that in mind, here are the top pending free agents from the former teams of new Dolphins coaches, what we'd call connect-the-dot free agents:
TOP PENDING 49ERS FREE AGENTS
G Laken Tomlinson — This one really jumps out because he's obviously familiar with the scheme the Dolphins will want to employ and because he's a former first-round pick coming off his first Pro Bowl season.
RB Jeff Wilson — Remember that the 49ers used a running back-by-committee approach during McDaniel's time there in charge of the running game, and Wilson led San Francisco in rushing in 2020 when he averaged a healthy 4.8 yards per carry.
EDGE Arden Key — Dolphins fans will be remember Key as the defender who twisted Ryan Fitzpatrick's head at the end of that crazy game at Las Vegas in December 2020, but Key busted out last year with the 49ers with 6.5 sacks in a backup role.
TOP PENDING CHARGERS FREE AGENTS
WR Mike Williams — While Smith was the run game coordinator and offensive line coach for the Chargers last season, he certainly was able to see Williams up close. And he saw the seventh overall pick in the 2017 draft set career highs in receptions with 76 and yards with 1,149.
LB Kyzir White — Although the Chargers defense was very disappointing in 2021, White has a solid year, starting every game and leading the team in tackles with 144.
Edge Uchenna Nwosu — The former second-round pick is coming off a career year where he started 15 games and had five sacks.
TOP PENDING CHIEFS FREE AGENTS
S Tyrann Mathieu — The Dolphins have some good young safeties with Jevon Holland and Brandon Jones and probably won't be looking to spend big money at that position, but Mathieu is just flat-out special.
CB Charvarius Ward — A former undrafted free agent, Ward has been a started the past three seasons and he's alternated good and bad seasons. Last year was a good one as the passer rating against him when targeted was only 79.4.
IDL Jarran Reed — The former Seattle second-round pick has started every game the past two seasons and is a very solid run defender with some pass-rushing ability.
TOP PENDING JAGUARS FREE AGENTS
WR D.J. Chark — Chark was seen as a rising star after he made the Pro Bowl in his second season in 2019, but injuries have slowed him the past two seasons, particularly a broken ankle that cut short in his 2021 campaign after four games. But he might be worth a flier at the right price.
G Andrew Norwell — If the Dolphins want a veteran presence on the offensive line, they could do worse than Norwell, who has 111 career starts and one Pro Bowl on his resume.
T Cam Robinson — The Jaguars used the franchise tag on Robinson last offseason and it will be cost-prohibitive to do it again. Robinson has developed into a solid, if not elite, left tackle.
Logical Connect-the-Dots Dolphins Free Agent Targets - Sports Illustrated
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