Dolphins give 3-year, $67.75M deal to highest-paid defender on the team

From a late-round flyer in Baltimore to one of Miami’s most disruptive players, Zach Sieler has climbed the NFL ladder in a hurry.

On Sunday, the Dolphins rewarded that rise with a three-year extension worth $67.75 million, his agents told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The agreement includes $44 million guaranteed and an annual average of $22.5 million, more than doubling his previous rate and setting a new high mark for a Dolphins defensive player.

It is the second multi-year deal Sieler has signed in Miami. His last extension, a three-year pact worth $30 million, came in 2023. Since then, the 29-year-old has delivered consecutive 10-sack seasons, leading the team in sacks both years. Even with that production, he entered this summer ranked just 29th among NFL defensive tackles in average annual value, according to ESPN.

Sieler’s NFL path started at Ferris State, where he walked on before becoming a seventh-round pick for the Ravens in 2018. Baltimore waived him the following year, and Miami claimed him the next day. He has since become a fixture up front, logging nine sacks in his first three seasons with the Dolphins and piling up 41 quarterback hits since 2023. That total is topped only by Baltimore’s Nnamdi Madubuike in that span, per ESPN.

Although he skipped voluntary OTAs this offseason, Sieler participated fully in mandatory minicamp and the first stretch of training camp. Speaking to reporters last month, the team captain said he wanted to be on the field despite ongoing contract talks.

“Everyone’s their own human. They can handle things how they want,” Sieler said in a press conference last month, via ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques. “At the end of the day, we’re here to play football. The respect and the money matter, but I’m going to give it all every day, regardless.”

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel also credited Sieler for his approach, saying that he sees the veteran’s presence as an example during Miami’s push for accountability.

“I think his teammates very much recognize how Zach Sieler plays football and contributes to the building every day,” McDaniel said. “He understands as a leader, he’s trying to show guys how he wants teammates to play.”

The extension arrives during a challenging camp for Miami, with injuries prompting roster adjustments. Veteran cornerbacks Mike Hilton and Jack Jones were signed to bolster the secondary, while fullback Alec Ingold is in the concussion protocol after collapsing in practice Sunday.

For the Dolphins, Sieler’s deal ensures one of their most consistent defensive forces will remain in place as they try to steady their footing heading into the 2025 season.