In a major move to lock down one of the NFL’s most productive interior pass rushers, the Miami Dolphins and defensive tackle Zach Sieler agreed Sunday to a three-year contract extension worth up to $67.75 million, including $44 million guaranteed. The new deal, which carries an average annual value (AAV) of $22.5 million, more than doubles Sieler’s previous AAV and makes him the highest-paid defensive player on Miami’s roster.
Sieler, 28, had been entering the final season of the three-year, $30 million extension he signed in the summer of 2023. Despite that deal, he remained one of the league’s most underpaid defensive linemen, ranking just 29th among defensive tackles in AAV—just ahead of Cleveland Browns rookie Mason Graham. The new agreement brings his compensation in line with his performance and value.
A testament to perseverance, Sieler’s path to NFL prominence has been anything but conventional. A former walk-on at Division II Ferris State, Sieler was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft but was waived the following year. The Dolphins claimed him off waivers the next day—a move that has paid off in spectacular fashion.
After recording a combined nine sacks across his first three seasons in Miami, Sieler has emerged as a force on the defensive front, leading the Dolphins with 10 sacks in each of the past two campaigns. Since the start of the 2023 season, only Baltimore Ravens standout Justin Madubuike has recorded more quarterback hits than Sieler’s 41, underscoring his consistent disruption of opposing offenses.
Sieler’s contract negotiations reflected his rising stock. While he missed the Dolphins’ voluntary OTA practices earlier this offseason, he returned for mandatory minicamp and has participated fully through the first 10 days of training camp.
The extension not only rewards Sieler’s on-field production but also signals the Dolphins’ commitment to building around their defensive core as they look to contend in a highly competitive AFC. By ensuring Sieler remains in Miami through at least 2028, the team keeps one of its most reliable pass rushers in place during the prime years of his career.
For a player who began his NFL journey as an overlooked seventh-round pick, Sieler’s rise to become the Dolphins’ highest-paid defender is a testament to resilience, hard work, and steady improvement—and it’s a story that resonates far beyond the numbers on his new contract.
