The Miami Dolphins made some notable news on Thursday, releasing three veterans to clear $19.7 million in cap space. The team released defensive end Mario Williams, offensive tackle Brandon Albert, and defensive tackle Earl Mitchell.
The moves are not surprising as the team has younger players to succeed these guys, and with Williams and Mitchell, they had already lost their jobs. Albert is going to lose his job to Laremy Tunsil, and it seems like Williams has become less and less useful as time goes on.
A couple people asked me about the idea of the 49ers kicking the tires on Williams. If they were staying in the 3-4, I would say there is no way that happens. When the Buffalo Bills switched from the 4-3 to the 3-4, Williams said he was excited to be a linebacker. In 2015, he complained about his role and eventually joined the Dolphins as a 4-3 defensive end. His ability as a cover man is not his strength, which is something he acknowledged.
Now, he is a free agent once again. It seems unlikely he gets more than a one-year deal. The 49ers have options in the pass rush, but could use some more competition. A motivated Williams is an intriguing option, but there are too many instances where it seems like Williams really doesn’t give a crap. Given John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan talking about football passion, I just don’t see them considering Williams.