The Miami Dolphins are releasing veteran defensive end, Andre Branch, to free up salary cap room, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Branch was set to be due $7 million.
Source: The #Dolphins are releasing veteran pass-rusher Andre Branch in a salary cap based move. He was due almost $7M in salary.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 2, 2019
Branch signed a three-year, $24 million with Miami in 2017.
In 2018, Branch started just one of the 14 games he played in, appearing in 483 (around half) of his team’s defensive snaps. Branch made one-and-a-half sacks and 26 tackles, while also forcing a fumble.
Branch has started in 38 of the 95 the games he has ever played in, showing that he is capable of a second-tier role on a roster; he should be able to find a job elsewhere when the new season kicks off in less than two weeks.
Branch, now 29, was a second-round selection out of Clemson by the Jacksonville Jaguars back in 2012, and played out his four-year rookie deal with Jacksonville, before heading south to Miami.
Branch is somewhat of a liability, whether it be the numerous injuries he has suffered over the course of his career or the fines that he often faces. Although he has never been suspended, Branch has been fined eight times in his seven-year career, paying more than $100,000 to the NFL.
With the direction of the Miami Dolphins, it makes sense why they are cutting ties with Branch, who will surely be able to latch on with another team soon.
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