Did some looking at the cap situation and wanted to sketch out how a rebuild could look. Luckily there is more talent on this team than it is getting credit for. Howard, Jones, Minkah, and Tunsil are all top players that can be built around. I think Drake could reach that level too:
Miami currently has a projected $18mm in 2019 cap space
Cut Tannehill as a post June 1 and add $19mm
Cut Devante Parker and save $9mm
Cut Danny Amendola and save $6mm
Cut Robert Quinn and save almost $13mm
The last two could be restructured, but this would put Miami at $66mm of cap space. A good amount.
Next step is to look at the impending free agents. Older players like Gore, Wake, and Hayes are all prospects to resign on a cheap deal....but they are not necessary for a rebuild.
Ju'Wuan James has been a decent starting RT. Resign him for around ~$5mm a year which is about the going rate for an average RT
Xavien Howard is a lock down corner and he hits the market next year. They shouldn't wait around and lock him up now. Try to get something in the regions of $12mm. Extending Tunsil should also be a thought.
Priorities from here are QB, DL, CB, and OL in that order. I would like to see both a competent starter brought in at quarterback. There are plenty that will be on the market this year (Flacco, Dalton, Foles, Bridgewater, Fitzmagic, and more?) Taking the Keenen deal as a proxy, we are talking $18-$20mm a year on a one to two year deal.
There is still money to put to use in Free Agency, but how active should a rebuilding team really be? I think Miami needs to add at least one starter on the DL before the draft. Just only have Andre Branch and Godchaux who are good enough to start. May need to bring back Hayes/Wake or extend Quinn here. I thought Quinn played really well at times. Probably going to see a transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4 as most defenses do. I'm not sure how the 3 linebackers today fit into that system.
A starting outside CB could also be a big add. Free agency money on OL or WR would be a hard spend. Sitton and Kilgore's injuries were killer, but I think it is a good line if healthy.
Draft: Invest in the trenches. Best linemen/pass rushers available for your first pick. Identify a QB with upside in round 2-5 and get one of them. Spend the rest of the picks prioritizing interior OL, DL at large, and a bigger bodied WR to go with the speed Stills/Wilson/Grant bring.
That team could compete with the right QB and throws two darts at it. If not, go after a QB higher in the 2020 draft, probably in a costly way