For the second year in a row, the Miami Dolphins are going to start free agency by beefing up their defensive line.
According to NFL.com, the Dolphins have a agreed to a two-year deal with Mario Williams. The former Bills defensive end is expected to pull in about $8 million per year. The deal is expected to become official when free agency begins at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, but the team announced the addition on Twitter Tuesday.
The Williams deal comes just one year after the Dolphins made a big time splash in free agency by adding Ndamukong Suh.
The Williams signing isn't a surprise at all. The Dolphins were the "clear front-runners" to land the 31-year-old pass rusher, and there was a "push" to get a deal done on Tuesday because the Dolphins didn't want to have to deal with other teams contending for Williams' services.
Williams, released by Buffalo at the beginning of the month, was clearly unhappy with his situation in Buffalo and reportedly "checked out" at one point, according to teammates.
He just wasn't a good fit in Rex Ryan's defense and wasn't happy with his situation.
There are very reasonable questions about whether Williams is a great fit in Miami. Not because of scheme or talent, but because Miami is perpetually spending a ton of money in the offseason to make people think they upgraded and then not actually being any good.
Putting Williams on the same line as Suh at least gives the impression this team could be dangerous on defense, especially 24 hours after Miami went out and made a splash trade to acquire Byron Maxwell and Kiko Alonso from the Eagles. (Again: Debate the merits among yourselves.)
But it will also mean losing one of the other rushers on the Dolphins' roster. Per Florio, the addition of Williams would mean Miami making a decision on Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon.
Specifically, either the Dolphins would ditch Wake (somehow 34 years old) or let Vernon walk out the door with an offer sheet.
Long live the offseason champs.
