Miami Dolphins guard James Daniels will not have his practice window opened, as he’ll remain on injured reserve. When asked for an update on Daniels, head coach Mike McDaniel said he “doesn’t know if James Daniels will return this season, but can’t definitively answer one way or the other.”
The offensive guard was the Dolphins’ top free agent acquisition this offseason as they signed him to a three-year, $24 million deal. Alain Poupart of Sports Illustrated described the situation as “strange and disappointing.”
James Daniels’ First Year in Miami
The veteran guard was brought into Miami with hopes of improving their lackluster offensive line play in 2024. His signing marked the Dolphins’ lone addition that exceeded $6 million per year and the only player whose total contract value exceeded $6.25 million as former general manager Chris Grier wanted the team to get younger.
Daniels was recovering from an Achilles injury that kept him out for 13 games in 2024. After the year, the Steelers opted not to re-sign him and he became a free agent. Before Week 1 this year, Daniels suffered an ankle injury; however, he was able to suit up for the opening matchup of the Miami Dolphins season.
His first game lasted a total of three plays as Daniels was ruled out with a pectoral injury. The Dolphins initially replaced him with Kion Smith, before replacing Smith with Cole Strange due to Smith’s poor performance. On Monday, September 8 Mike McDaniel told the media “It looks like with James, it’s not season-ending.” However, after this latest update, it’s easy to see why the situation has been described as disappointing.
James Daniels’ Future With the Dolphins
Despite signing a three-year deal with the team, upon close inspection, the contract offers little to no long-term security for the veteran offensive lineman. This is due to his contract having no guaranteed money left for him after the 2025 season. With the general manager who signed him being gone, and Daniels playing in only five games in the past two seasons, it’s difficult to envision a future in which he remains with the organization beyond this year.
His potential interest around the league remains to be seen. Despite his past two years being marked by injuries, he did start 15 or more games from 2021 to 2023. His sample size of the 2024 season was small, but Daniels ranked as the second-highest-graded offensive lineman according to Pro Football Focus.
A one-year deal with a new team is the likeliest outcome for Daniels. For Miami, investing in their offensive line is something the new general manager will have to focus on. Since losing Robert Hunt to free agency before the 2024 season, they’ve failed to get quality play out of their offensive guards. They tried this offseason by signing Daniels in free agency and using a second-round pick on Jonah Savaiinaea, but neither move has worked out so far. While it’s too soon to call Savaiinaea’s time in Miami a failure, it’s not too soon to question whether the James Daniels signing has become a mistake.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Dolphins Get ‘Disappointing’ Update on Top Free-Agent Addition appeared first on Heavy Sports.