Marcel Louis-Jacques
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins and defensive sort out Zach Sieler agreed to a three-year extension Sunday, his brokers instructed ESPN's Adam Schefter, that makes him the staff's highest-paid defensive participant.
The extension is price as much as $67.75 million, $44 million of which is assured; the $22.5 million common annual worth greater than doubles his present AAV.
Sieler signed a three-year, $30 million extension in the summertime of 2023, and has recorded back-to-back 10-sack seasons for the Dolphins. Nevertheless, he was the NFL's twenty ninth highest-paid defensive sort out by way of common annual worth, simply forward of Cleveland Browns rookie Mason Graham.
Sieler missed the staff's voluntary OTA practices however was an lively participant in each necessary minicamp and the primary 10 days of coaching camp. A staff captain, Sieler stated that whereas a brand new contract was vital to him, so was being on the sphere together with his teammates.
“Everybody's their very own human. They will deal with issues how they need,” Sieler stated final month. “That is how I select to deal with it, however I hope the message that places out there may be that, at finish of the day, we're right here to play soccer. Now clearly that stuff's essential to me — the respect and the cash that my household will get and makes from this recreation. We give all of it on the road each single day and I'll proceed to do this daily.
“However to have the ability to go on the market and work regardless of every part, I feel I am attempting to indicate that you would be able to go on the market and play your finest ball and nonetheless work by way of stuff with out having to compartmentalize issues.”
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel lauded Sieler for persevering with to indicate up by way of his contract negotiations.
Because the staff makes an attempt to reestablish a tradition of accountability, he stated Sielers' efforts haven't gone unnoticed.
“I feel you outline your self by your actions, most of all in life,” McDaniel stated on July 25. “I am very conscious that every one gamers have a selection in what they do on a day-to-day foundation, particularly with Zach, and his actions converse — and I feel his teammates very a lot acknowledge how Zach Sieler performs soccer and contributes to the constructing daily. And I feel Zach has a imaginative and prescient of a staff that I share and he understands as a pacesetter, he is attempting to indicate guys how he desires teammates to play soccer and I am excited each time I see Zach Sieler.”
A former Ferris State walk-on, Sieler was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens within the seventh spherical in 2018, however was waived the next 12 months; the Dolphins claimed him the subsequent day.
After recording 9 sacks in his first three seasons in Miami, Sieler has led the Dolphins in sacks with 10 every of the previous two seasons.
Because the begin of the 2023 season, solely Nnamdi Madubuike has extra quarterback hits than Sieler's 41.
