Charles Clay agrees to offer sheet from the Buffalo Bills

In the recent period of offseason NFL player tagging, the Miami Dolphins played their tight end situation delicately. Rather than placing a common franchise tag on standout-free agent tight end Charles Clay, the Dolphins placed a transitional tag on him. What that means is that Clay was tagged in for the 2015-2016 season, but it allows another team to offer Charles Clay a deal or an “offer sheet”. If Clay were to accept this offer sheet, Miami would have five days to match the deal given or they would lose Clay to the other team.

Why are you reading all of this? Not to better understand the metrics of NFL finances, but to completely understand the NFL’s most recent free agent signing. The Buffalo Bills have offered Charles Clay a five-year $38 million offer sheet, which he did indeed sign. The deal will have Clay set to receive $24.5 million over the first two years of the contract. NFL Insider Ian Rapoport adds in that the deal is structured to attack Miami’s salary cap in 2016.

While the metrics of Buffalo’s scheme are impressive, they are really unnecessary. Given any circumstances, the Dolphins are unlikely to match an offer given to Clay. The team recently signed former Cleveland Browns’ standout tight end Jordan Cameron to the roster, nearly gift wrapping a Charles Clay departure.

After five days, Charles Clay will be a member of the Buffalo Bills, who were in need of a tight end after the releasing of Scott Chandler. Clay is versatile, and joins a very impressive core of skill-position offense that ultimately just needs a quality quarterback. With that defense, however, watch out New England. Buffalo is coming for the AFC East crown.