Miami Dolphins
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Jason Sanders signed a one-year deal with the Giants
The Miami Dolphins have seen plenty of departures during this free agency period as they hope to improve their salary cap situation moving forward. After four consecutive winning seasons from 2020 to 2023, the team has struggled these past two seasons which has led to a rebuild.
Most of Miami’s top contributors from those winning seasons have since left the team, with a majority of them leaving this offseason. Defensive lineman Zach Sieler is currently the only player the Dolphins have who is over 28 years old, and after signing him to an extension last offseason, moving him would not make financial sense.
As free agency neared, the Dolphins tried to retain veteran kicker Jason Sanders, as they tried to renegotiate a deal that would result in a smaller contract. A deal was not reached, and theDolphins released their All-Pro kicker. Now, the details of Sanders’ new contract with an NFC team have surfaced.
Former Miami Dolphins All-Pro Signs with Giants
NFL insider Aaron Wilson announced that Jason Sanders had signed a one-year contract with the New York Giants worth up to $1.425 million, and included $1.3 million guaranteed.
Prior to his release, Sanders was Miami’s longest tenured player on the team, as he had been with the organization since being selected in the 2018 NFL Draft. Upon his release, the Dolphins thanked him on social media.They posted a video which contained the following Dolphins accolades: franchise all-time leader in field goal percentage, 2nd in franchise history with 187 field goals made, 3rd in franchise history in total points, most field goals in a game in franchise history, and his 2020 first-team All-Pro selection.
Sanders was unable to play in the 2025 season as he suffered a hip injury during preseason. While he was expected to return during the season, his rehab took longer than expected. He did return to practice late in the season, but was not activated from injured reserve during his 21-day period.
His injury came at an unfortunate time in his career, as he was fresh off the second-best season of his career. In the 2024 season, Sanders went 12-for-14 on field goal attempts of over 50 yards and missed only four attempts all season. He served as Miami’s primary kicker for seven seasons and made 90% or more of his attempts in three seasons. He departed Miami having made his last 27 field goals, including nine from over 50+ yards. Sanders will now join a Giants team that also added formerDolphins special teams player Elijah Campbell.
Miami Dolphins Kicker
After Sanders’ release, the Dolphins announced thesigning of veteran kicker Zane Gonzalez.However, it now seems that Miami will have competition for the starting kicker position as the team also re-signed kicker Riley Patterson, who was the Dolphins kicker during the 2025 season. Patterson hit a Dolphins franchise record 93% of his field goal attempts, but he had only three made field goals of over 50 yards.
Despite Patterson’s strong season,Sports Illustrated’s Dante Collinelli wrote about Gonzalez having a strength over Patterson. He said,“Gonzalez’s biggest advantages are leg strength and experience. He’s made 18 of 28 attempts from beyond 50 yards and was seven of nine from that range last season. He’s also got a career-long of 57 yards, which is higher than Patterson’s 54.
Gonzalez also overlapped with the Dolphins’ new special teams coach, Chris Tabor, for one season with the Cleveland Browns in 2017. “