Miami Dolphins are making a series of cuts Thursday _ including releasing left tackle Branden Albert and defensive linemen Mario Williams and Earl Mitchell _ to free an additional $20 million in salary cap space ahead of free agency.
A league source confirmed those plans, which also include the release of cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu.
Albert's release clears $7.2 million in cap space and allows 2016 first-round pick Laremy Tunsil to move from guard to left tackle, the position he played at Ole Miss.
Williams' release clears $8.5 million, Mitchell's frees $4 million and Ekpre-Olomu's clears $465,000.
Those transactions should bring the Dolphins to roughly $50 million in cap space based on the projected salary cap increase to $168 million in 2017.
The Dolphins will have the 10th most available cap space in the NFL as the March 7 start of free agency approaches.
The only teams that have more projected cap space are the Cleveland Browns ($106.5 million), San Francisco 49ers ($78.6 million), Jacksonville Jaguars ($67.7 million), Tennessee Titans ($62.3 million), Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($61.1 million), New England Patriots ($61.1 million), Washington Redskins ($58.8 million), Indianapolis Colts ($54.2 million) and Chicago Bears ($51.6 million).
However, other teams will also purge some large contracts in the coming weeks.
The Dolphins could clear an additional $4.2 million by releasing linebacker Koa Misi, but the neck surgery he underwent in October could complicate matters. He's not fully healthy from a football related injury and might be forced into retirement because of the seriousness of his injury.
Still, the Dolphins, who are coming off the franchise's first winning season and playoff appearance since 2008, have enough cap space to aggressively address their biggest needs _ defensive line, linebacker, offensive guard, tight end _ in free agency. And that seems to be owner Steve Ross' plan.
Ross has said free agency is his time to get involved with the team, and he has consistency put his finances behind acquiring talent that front-office executives have targeted as difference-makers.
Mike Tannenbaum, the Dolphins' executive vice president of football operations, said he'd prefer to address all of the team's needs before the draft, a philosophy that frees the team to select the best available players early in the draft.
None of Thursday's releases were complicated decisions for the Dolphins because of age, injury history or lack of productivity.
Albert, 32, helped Miami rush for 1,824 yards, and he allowed just four sacks in 13 games last year, despite playing with a ligament tear in his wrist for the second half of the season. Albert had been signed through 2018, but he's struggled to stay healthy in his three years with the Dolphins, and Miami has been grooming Tunsil to replace him at left tackle.
General manager Chris Grier said at the Senior Bowl that the Dolphins want to improve the durability of their offensive line. They will now be looking to sign two guards, as Tunsil will be shifted to tackle and veteran Jermon Bushrod is a free agent.
Williams, 32, contributed 13 tackles and 1.5 sacks in the 13 games he played last season. An 11-year veteran, he started the first five games at defensive end before being replaced by Cameron Wake, who turned in a Pro Bowl season from that point on.
Mitchell, 29, contributed 40 tackles and no sacks in the 21 games he played at defensive tackle the past two seasons.
The Dolphins' defensive line was a disappointment in 2016, allowing opponents an average of 140 rushing yards per game, which ranks 30th in the league.
The Dolphins claimed Ekpre-Olomu, a former Oregon standout, off the waiver wire last offseason, and he suffered his second season-ending knee injury during training camp. The Dolphins carried him on injured reserve all season, but they have four proven starters at cornerback on the roster _ Byron Maxwell, Xavien Howard, Tony Lippett and Bobby McCain.
While it's likely that Miami will be aggressive with top-tier free agents, the Dolphins also have 10 unrestricted free agents of their own, many of whom Tannenbaum would like to re-sign.
