The personnel, money consequences of Dolphins draft. And where things stand at tight end

A six-pack of Miami Dolphins notes on a Monday:

▪ The Dolphins, at the moment, have more dead money on their 2023 cap ($3.5 million) than cap space ($2.9 million).

And the dead money total could grow a bit, in the months ahead, after developments over the weekend.

The selection of South Carolina cornerback Cam Smith makes it difficult to envision a path for Noah Igbinoghene to make the team, barring injury.

And there would be modest financial consequence to cutting him.

Of Igbinoghene’s $2.1 million salary, $1.6 million already has been guaranteed in the final year of his four-year rookie deal.

Meanwhile, his 2023 Dolphins cap hit drops only from $3.6 million to $2.1 million if he’s cut, meaning there would be $1.5 million in dead money on Miami’s 2023 cap.

Xavien Howard, Jalen Ramsey, Smith and Kader Kohou will be on the team, and Nik Needham — coming off a torn Achilles — very likely will, too.

That leaves one cornerback job, potentially, for one or two special teams aces: Keion Crossen or Justin Bethel. Trill Williams, who missed last season with a knee injury, also will compete. So it might take an injury, or something unexpected, for Igbinoghene to make it.

Igbinoghene wasn’t bad last season; he had a 77.1 passer rating in his coverage area: 11 completions in 23 targets, for 134 yards, two touchdowns and an interception to seal the win against Pittsburgh.

But then-defensive coordinator Josh Boyer played him only when absolutely necessary. Boyer usually opted instead for Crossen, who had a 104.7 passer rating in his coverage area.

The Dolphins assuredly won’t be exercising Igbinoghene’s $11.5 million fifth-year option by Tuesday’s deadline.

Meanwhile, the fact the Dolphins didn’t trade receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. during draft weekend increases the chances that he will be on the team this summer.

The difficulty with trading Wilson stems from his salary (he is already guaranteed $5 million of his $7 million 2023 salary) and not his ability.

And ultimately, if the Dolphins cannot trade him, they would either need to keep him and pay him $7 million, with an $8 million cap hit, or cut him and pay him $5 million with a $7 million dead money cap hit in 2023.

If the Dolphins decide they would prefer to trade him, they could find a taker if a team loses one or more receivers to injury in training camp or preseason. Keep in mind that Miami’s 2023 dead money hit after June 1 would be only $1 million if Wilson is traded.

It’s difficult to envision the Dolphins releasing Wilson — who’s a good player — with that type of financial consequence. Even so, keeping Wilson would diminish the chances of Miami having the roster space for either Chosen Anderson (formerly Robby Anderson) or River Cracraft.

Meanwhile, the selection of running back Devon Achane diminishes Myles Gaskin’s chances of making the team.

But Gaskin is owed nothing and has no dead money cap hit if he’s released.

▪ The Dolphins added a 20th undrafted rookie Sunday when they received a commitment from Kentucky defensive back Keidron Smith.

Smith began his career as a cornerback at Mississippi, then moved to safety in his final season with the Rebels, and then transferred to Kentucky, where he returned to cornerback in his one season there.

He had five interceptions, eight tackles for loss and 19 passes defended in four years at Mississippi.

Last season, his only one at Kentucky, he had two interceptions (including one returned for a touchdown), a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, 46 tackles and five passes defended.

▪ Beyond the 20 undrafted rookies who are expected to sign with the Dolphins (nothing has been announced by the team), Miami also has invited several players to try out for the team during their rookie mini-camp that begins May 12.

As Houston-based NFL writer Aaron Wilson noted, that group includes Duke defensive back Datrone Young (who attended Delray Atlantic High), Wyoming guard Eric Abojei and Harvard running back Aidan Borguet, who ran for 1,170 yards (5.8 per carry) and 10 touchdowns last season. Borguet also will audition for the Chiefs at their rookie minicamp.

▪ The Dolphins added only one natural tight end in the draft process, Campbell’s Julian Hill. And we hear that several teams pursued him after the draft; Miami gave him $42,500 guaranteed, according to a source.

Hill, 6-4, had 38 catches for 659 yards (a 17.3 average) and five touchdowns last season.

The other tight end added this past weekend — sixth-round pick Elijah Higgins — is moving over from receiver.

So the Dolphins will have five tight ends under contract: starter Durham Smythe, journeyman Eric Saubert and three developmental players: second-year player Tanner Conner, Higgins and Hill.

There are a couple of dozen veteran free agents still available, including several in the late stages of their careers (Cameron Brate, Marcedes Lewis, Kyle Rudolph).

Adam Shaheen, who’s only 28 and had some success with the prior coaching staff, also remains available coming off knee surgery and said in January that he would love to remain with the Dolphins. He spent last season on injured reserve.

If I were the Dolphins, I don’t want a 30-something veteran taking snaps from Conner, Higgins and Hill in May and June OTAs and minicamps.

I want to see exactly what they have in those three players — as much as you can tell in offseason practices — and then reassess and add a veteran to the mix in late June or July. There’s no tight end on the street now who’s a must-get. Take a look at the young players and then make a decision.

Here are the couple dozen veteran free agents left; players who were released this offseason, including Brate, are not on this spotrac.com list.

▪ Michigan offensive tackle Ryan Hayes, the Dolphins’ seventh-round pick, showed significant improvement from his junior to senior seasons.

He played 928 snaps as a junior and allowed three sacks and 19 quarterback hurries (too many) at left tackle.

But in 2022, he played 706 snaps and permitted no sacks and just seven quarterback hurries.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein assessed him this way:

“Two-year starter at left tackle for a unit that won consecutive Joe Moore Awards [for the best offensive line in college football]. He’s tall and plays with good technique and strong hands, but Hayes is missing functional length as a tackle. He tough at the point of attack and gets into space with athletic movements but he plays with a slightly elevated pad level that could slow a transition inside to guard.

“He’s solid in pass protection, but he plays with an average anchor and might not have the range to keep speed rushers from tormenting the pocket. He could become an average player at tackle or guard in the pros.”

▪ Quick things: Per PFF’s Ryan Smith, new Dolphins running back Achane forced a missed tackle on 29 percent of his career attempts, tied for fifth among Power 5 backs since 2020

Achane reached a top speed of 24.42 mph on his 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, which was second-fastest among 208 players in Indianapolis…

It’s the eighth consecutive draft Miami has selected a player from an SEC school. Over the last nine drafts, 38 of the Dolphins’ 45 selections have come from Power 5 schools.

Here’s my Monday piece with a look at how Mel Kiper Jr. and others graded the Dolphins draft.