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Dolphins lock in defensive tackle Zach Sieler on three-year extension; Daewood Davis released from hospital

David Furones, Chris Perkins, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
·6 min read

The Miami Dolphins have agreed to a three-year contract extension with defensive tackle Zach Sieler, according to multiple league sources.

The deal includes $20 million guaranteed is worth worth up to $38.65 million, according to one source.

Sieler was set to make $3.225 million in 2023 under his previous contract and then become a free agent before Sunday’s extension that will keep him in Miami through 2026.

“I was fired up and so were a lot of his teammates,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said in a Sunday web conference with reporters. “Zach epitomizes such an important thing within the journey of an NFL player. You’re talking about a guy that has earned every cent that he’s paid. He’s been cut twice.”

Sieler earned his big-money deal while borderline active-roster players, which he once was, await Tuesday’s 4 p.m. cut-down deadline to learn if they made the Dolphins’ initial 53-man roster.

“I think the timing, as far as it relates to the team, couldn’t be better for so many guys in the next 48 hours that aren’t able to make the final 53,” McDaniel said. “I think that is something that is real and can feel, in the moment, like your dream’s over. He’s a great example of worrying about what you can control, and we’re happy to get that done.”

Miami locked in Sieler while fellow defensive tackle Christian Wilkins has been sitting out team drills amid a contract dispute of his own.

McDaniel said getting Sieler’s extension done first is no indication on the status of a potential Wilkins deal.

“There’s a good amount of players on this team that we want to keep around. They’re really independent of each other,” the Dolphins coach said.

“What it boils down to is you have an organization and a player and his representation being able to come to an agreement. So, with regard to Zach, we were able to come to an agreement. That’s independent of Christian and speaks nothing to anything but that.”

Wilkins and Sieler have combined to form one of the NFL’s top run-stopping tandems since they came together in Miami in 2019. Last season, the Dolphins ranked fourth in run defense, despite being among the league’s worst in several other defensive categories.

Since he was claimed off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens in December 2019, Sieler has recorded 180 tackles with 10 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries with the Dolphins.

The Dolphins are coming off a preseason finale loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in which the first-team defense was pummeled in the run game with Wilkins and Sieler sitting out — Wilkins while he goes through his negotiations with the team and Sieler as he recovers from an injury scare to the left leg the past week of practice.

While negotiating with Wilkins, the Dolphins are also in trade talks with the Indianapolis Colts for star running back Jonathan Taylor. A move to bring him in would likely indicate Miami is willing to extend Taylor beyond the final year on his rookie deal.

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Daewood Davis update

The Dolphins announced that rookie wide receiver Daewood Davis was released from the hospital and will travel home to Miami on Sunday with team personnel.

By McDaniel’s Sunday afternoon web conference, Davis was back at team facilities. The coach said the undrafted rookie is in concussion protocol.

“We’ll continue to evaluate him,” McDaniel said. “He’s doing better than (Saturday) night, in terms of strength and stuff.

“There are certain things that we were worried about that were avoided, but we’ll continue monitoring him extensively as he’s in the protocol. There’s certainly a lot of guys that are very happy and relieved to see him.”

Davis was taken to Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville on Saturday and spent the night there after taking a hit to the head with 8:32 remaining in the preseason finale against the Jaguars at EverBank Stadium.

The Dolphins said Saturday night that Davis, who attended Deerfield Beach High and Western Kentucky University, was conscious and had movement in all of his extremities when he was carted off the field with the Jaguars leading, 31-18. The game was suspended.

Davis appeared to take a hit to the side of his head by linebacker Dequan Johnson as he was being tackled by cornerback Kaleb Hayes. Davis laid face down on the field as trainers ran out to his assistance.

After a while, the medical cart was brought onto the field, Davis was carefully placed on an immobilizing board, put on the cart and taken away. In the meantime, coaches and players from both teams gathered around him on the field.

After Davis was taken away Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel and Jaguars coach Doug Pederson met with referees, and the union representatives from each team, Wilkins and Jaguars kicker Brandon McManus, also met with the coaches and referees.

McDaniel said the league was consulted.

“Both teams mutually agreed to end the game at that point, which we made the league aware of,” McDaniel said.

Other injury updates

McDaniel said running back Salvon Ahmed is not in concussion protocol after Saturday’s game in Jacksonville. He is day to day.

Defensive back Elijah Campbell appears likely to start the season on injured reserve following his knee injury sustained against the Jaguars

McDaniel was pleased to learn it was not Campbell’s anterior cruciate ligament in the knee.

“We’re kind of assessing the extent,” McDaniel said, “and all I can really tell you is there’s a season chance for him. He avoided one thing, but there was a substantial injury that will take him into the season.”

McDaniel said guard Liam Eichenberg was only dressed for the exhibition in case of emergency. He and running back Jeff Wilson would’ve played if it were a regular-season game, according to the coach as both deal with midsection ailments.

Quarterback Mike White is out of concussion protocol, but McDaniel has not yet announced a decision on the backup quarterback competition between he and Skylar Thompson.

McDaniel remembers Jenkins

McDaniel started his Sunday web conference with a statement on late Dolphins executive Jason Jenkins. Sunday was the one-year anniversary of his death.

“It was a year ago today that we lost such a valuable member,” McDaniel said. “I think the people that Jason touched in this organization, in this community, it’s so visceral and real that I would be short-changing the reality of a lot of people in this building and a lot of people across America that lost someone so dear to them.”