The Miami Dolphins announced yesterday that they have reached a three year contract extension with defensive lineman Zach Sieler.
We have signed DT Zach Sieler to a contract extension through the 2023 season. pic.twitter.com/VGIYK2SzVu
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) November 16, 2020
The performance of Sieler in Week 10 of the 2020 NFL season certainly wasn’t the catalyst that pushed the Dolphins to finalize their newest contract extension, but the play of Sieler in the absence of 1st-round pick Christian Wilkins certainly didn’t hurt, either! Sieler has been one of the Dolphins biggest success stories when looking back over their waiver wire binges of the 2019 season — Miami claimed Sieler off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens midseason last year and have yet to stop reaping the rewards of taking a flier on the defensive lineman.
Sieler has been very good all around and was at his best in Week 10 for the Dolphins, logging 83% of the team’s defensive snaps and scoring 5 tackles (2 tackles for loss) as Miami looked for the answers up front to compensate for the absence of Wilkins, who spent the week on the reserve/COVID-19 list. But Sieler’s contract extension, which will keep him with the Dolphins through the end of the 2023 season, has been earned by his fully body of work this season — and that play has been far more than you’d expect for a former 7th-round draft choice from Ferris State.
Sieler was instrumental in the Dolphins’ victory in Week 9 as well — stacking up rookie tackle Josh Jones at the point of attack and collapsing the point of attack to allow Miami to force a turnover on downs and go on to kick the game-winning field goal.
Let’s start with the 4th down stuff that eventually won the game. Sieler stacks up 6th OL, 3rd-RD pick Josh Jones. He plays on the ARZ side of the line and sheds effortlessly. His power to reset the line forces early redirect from the back to kill forward momentum. pic.twitter.com/dg5uF04umo
— Locked On Dolphins (@LockedOnPhins) November 14, 2020
As the Dolphins continue to forge forward from here in building up their roster, they can rest easy knowing that the “other” interior spot opposite Wilkins is in good hands. There will be some tweaking and added depth required in the long run, but in all Sieler continues to prove himself as a capable interior defender who can serve as a starting presence for the Dolphins defense.
