As I anticipate the final purge of the old roster I expect to see the Dolphins part ways with safety Rashad Jones. I was a huge Rashad Jones fan the moment he was drafted because looking at his college videos he was a thumper and he lived up to his reputation throughout his Dolphin career.
He had a few of disappointing seasons, some due to injury, one shortly after a newly signed contract in 2013, after holding out he was given a four-year, $29.285 million extension with $15 million guaranteed including a $5 million signing bonus in 2013, and he had a disappointing 2014 season.
In 2016 with two years left on his contract extension of 2013 Reshad Jones held out again for more money so he pulled that same ploy of skipping OTA’s he had a very good 2015 season and was even named an alternate in the pro bowl so he leveraged his play for more pay. The Dolphins (Mike Tannenbaum) gave him an extension making him one of the highest-paid safeties in the league a five-year, $55 million contract extension with $35 million in guarantees.
Reshad Jones has been paid very well by the Dolphins over the years and his play for the most part certainly warranted it but his selfish attitude has always been the issue and it popped up again last year with the changing of head coaches.
Remember Reshad Jones made some noise in 2018 when he refused to go back in the game against the Jets in week 9 because he did not like that they were rotating players with the young rookie Minkah Fitzpatrick being utilized more. That angered many of the fans especially after considering how well he’s been paid by the Dolphins.
Last season after Brian Flores became head coach Rashad Jones decided that he did not need to attend OTA’s something he has done in times past claiming that his routine serves him better. Granted he was well within his rights to not attended what is considered VOLUNTARY workouts, but given the fact that we hired a new head coach and a defensive head coach at that, what is expected from a veteran player is to set an example as well as with the implementation of a new system as well as and did I mention the money he got? Reshad SHOULD have attended OTA’s just to bond with the new coaching staff. That is not the way you start of with a new coaching staff.
Brian Flores wants players who are unselfish and that was the reason the Dolphins parted ways with Minkah Fitzpatrick because he is another selfish player who did not want to play within the system. The only reason Reshad was still on the team last season was due to his contract, it would have been to costly to let him go even though they did not get much from him anyway.
Reshad Jones has been great player for Miami, but he comes across as a very selfish person from his actions over the years. That will always taint all his great play because a selfish player will ALWAYS be about SELF and thus is not a good fit in a game that relies on TEAM BALL. Brian Flores likes versatile players in his defensive scheme and that most likely is not the best fit for Jones as well.
Reshad Jones will turn 32 years old in February and with the cap hit of just 10 million dollars this most likely will be the end of Jones’ Dolphins career the only question left is can GM Chris Grier find a trade partner or do they just out right release him? Maybe Chris can do with Jones what he did with Tannehill and Robert Quinn last year.
These past two years have not been some of Reshad Jones best seasons and he’s done more to alienate himself than ingrace himself with head coach Brian Flores and the team. Jones was once my favorite player but his selfishness over the years leave me wanting a divorce ASAP!
I wish him well wherever he lands.
The Dolphin Seer 