Dolphins Sign Second-Round Pick to Fully Guaranteed Deal
It’s been two months without signings, but finally, second-round picks are beginning to sign their rookie deals. A breakthrough occurred in the Bay Area on Wednesday night as 49ers defensive lineman Alfred Collins agreed to his rookie deal. First-round picks are the complete opposite; teams look to get their top picks under contract as soon as possible. That has been the case for every team except the Bengals, who remain the only team yet to sign their first-round pick.
On Friday afternoon, the Dolphins became one of several teams to put their second-round player under contract. Jonah Savaiinaea, the 37th overall pick, agreed to a four-year deal worth $11.3 million, all of which will be fully guaranteed. The Dolphins paying a fully guaranteed contract isn’t surprising, given how the market shook out. Of the four players selected ahead of Savaiinaea in this year’s draft, three received fully guaranteed deals, the most recent being Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori at 35th overall.
Could the guaranteed contract mean the Dolphins have noticed something in the young guard? On the other hand, is it simply that offensive line depth is scarce in Miami? Getting this deal done now means Savaiinaea won’t be behind and can maximize the amount of time he works with the veterans on the line. The Arizona product was drafted to start at guard, and the Dolphins’ offensive line hasn’t played together much. James Daniels was added in free agency to fill the other guard spot, while Patrick Paul played fewer than 400 snaps last season, and Austin Jackson missed a good chunk of the season with a knee injury.
The Dolphins selected the 324-pound guard to bolster protection for Tua Tagovailoa, something they’ve failed to do over the last several years, with Tagovailoa being sacked a total of 111 times. In 2024, Miami failed to bring in any offensive line depth after general manager Chris Grier mocked fans complaining about the issue. The longtime general manager learned the hard way after the offense stalled throughout the season due to poor quarterback play. With Savaiinaea under contract, he’s expected to be a full participant at training camp next week.
