Roundup: Dolphins releasing starting safety Bobby McCain

The Miami Dolphins are creating some extra cap space by saying goodbye to one of their captains.

The Dolphins have informed safety Bobby McCain that they are releasing him Thursday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported.

Selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft out of Memphis, McCain has grown into a dependable member of Miami’s secondary who could be counted on for roughly a half-dozen passes defensed and an interception or two per season. McCain signed an extension to stay with the Dolphins in 2018, receiving a pay bump of nearly $5 million in the first year of a deal that was set to expire following the 2022 season.

With Miami now gearing up as a serious contender, the Dolphins have identified McCain’s release as a way to save some cap space. Depending on how it is designated, McCain’s release will save Miami between $5.6 million (pre-June 1) and $6.4 million (post-June 1), while carrying less than $2 million in dead cap.

Miami might have already identified his successor, too. The Dolphins hosted free-agent safety Malik Hooker for a visit earlier this week, and though the two parties didn’t conclude their visit with a contract in hand or a mutual understanding, there’s clearly room to bring Hooker on board now. Though McCain wasn’t making a ton of money on his deal, Hooker would be cheaper and, despite suffering two significant injuries in his still-young career, he would have a longer runway ahead of him.

Perhaps the Dolphins saw something they liked in Hooker when he visited. Or maybe they needed to make this move regardless of replacement. We do know one fact, though: Miami is going to have to choose a new captain this season.

Elsewhere around the NFL on Thursday:

• The Carolina Panthers agreed to terms with fourth-round pick Chuba Hubbard. Carolina added the Oklahoma State RB with the No. 126 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft on Saturday. Hubbard’s signing is the first among 2021 draft picks.
• Former Tulsa quarterback Zach Smith and ex-Memphis quarterback Brady White are trying out for the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans, respectively, per Pelissero.

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