After the NFL combine wrapped up, there’s just a week until the start of a new league year, allowing all 32 fan bases to feel hopeful for their team to win a Super Bowl.
General manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel have a number of decisions that they’ll need to make together regarding roster construction if they want to bring a Lombardi Trophy back to South Florida.
The Dolphins have 31 players who are set to be free agents when the year opens, including wide receiver Trent Sherfield.
Sherfield, 27, joined Miami on a one-year deal worth $1.19 million after spending time with the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2018.
The former Vanderbilt Commodore followed McDaniel, and a number of his former 49ers teammates, to the Dolphins last season, but his spot on the roster was far from guaranteed.
At the time of the signing, Sherfield was expected to be behind Jaylen Waddle, DeVante Parker and Cedrick Wilson Jr. However, Parker was shipped out to New England, and Miami acquired Tyreek Hill from the Kansas City Chiefs, making opportunities even harder to come by.
Still, Sherfield worked hard and made the roster, showcasing his blocking ability and clutch hands throughout the season. By the end of the year, he had surpassed Wilson as the team’s third wideout.
Heading into 2023, Sherfield didn’t do enough to earn a huge payday somewhere, so the Dolphins should be able to bring him back on another affordable, short-term deal. He and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa can build on that relationship that they began to establish in 2022, as he could see even more targets with Mike Gesicki likely gone.
