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MIAMI (AP) — Five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh officially was released Wednesday by the Miami Dolphins at the start of free agency, and the team made official the trades to acquire defensive end Robert Quinn and send Jarvis Landry to the Cleveland Browns.
Miami also announced the release of tight end Julius Thomas, which had been expected. The Dolphins decided to keep right tackle Ja'Wuan James, which guarantees him $9.34 million in 2018.
Restructured contracts for quarterback Ryan Tannehill and Pro Bowl safety Reshad Jones cleared $18 million in cap space. The Dolphins converted $16.7 million of Tannehill's 2018 salary to bonus pay, underscoring their long-term investment in him, and converted $9.4 million of Jones' salary this year to bonus pay.
Suh was halfway through the $114 million, six-year deal he signed when he joined the Dolphins in 2015. Along with the incentive of creating $17 million in cap space this year, the move was widely seen as part of coach Adam Gase's attempt to improve the locker room culture following a 6-10 season.
Suh's standoffish personality raised questions about his leadership, and he has never been on a team that won a playoff game.
Landry went to the Browns for a fourth-round draft pick this year and a seventh-rounder in 2019. Quinn was acquired from the Los Angeles Rams for a fourth-round pick, and the teams swapped sixth-round choices.
Thomas was a disappointment in his lone season with Miami, catching 41 passes for 388 yards and three scores.
Miami tendered three exclusive rights free agents: center Jake Brendel, linebacker Mike Hull and defensive back Jordan Lucas. The team declined to tender offensive lineman Anthony Steen, linebacker Neville Hewitt, quarterback David Fales or running back De'Veon Smith, making them free to negotiate with any team.
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