Rather than making a splash in free agency, the Miami Dolphins have opted to use their available cap space on several smaller moves, and that trend continued on Sunday with a focus on special teams.
According to Justin Melo of The Draft Network, “Former Titans punter Ryan Stonehouse is signing with the Miami Dolphins. The 2022 NFL punting yards leader and record-breaker quickly found a new team after the Titans made the unusual decision to move on.”
As Melo noted, Stonehouse led the NFL in punting yards in 2022 and was named a Second-Team All-Pro. Over his first two NFL seasons, he averaged 53.1 yards per punt, but that figure dropped to 50.6 last year.
While Stonehouse’s punting average declined, he still represents a potential improvement for Miami. Even in a down year, his 50.6 yards per punt would be a career-high for current Dolphins punter Jake Bailey.
In six seasons with New England and Miami, Bailey has never surpassed 48.7 yards per punt, with a career average of 46.1 yards per punt, including 47.1 yards last season in Miami.
As Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald points out, “Bailey’s $1.95 million salary isn’t guaranteed, and his cap hit drops from $2.5 million to $550,000 if he is released.”
Having spent time together in Tennessee, Stonehouse follows new Dolphins Special Teams Coordinator Craig Aukerman to Miami.
It’s unclear whether the Dolphins plan to release Bailey or if there will be a full competition for the starting punter role. However, it’s never a good sign for the current player when a new coach brings in one of his former players.
