A lot of teams were caught off guard and without cap space when the Philadelphia Eagles released Evan Mathis, who has been waiting for a big contract, but might end up signing for the Miami Dolphins for a lot less than he expected.

A two-time Pro Bowl selection (including last season) and a first-team All-Pro in 2013, Mathis was looking for a deal that pays him around $6 million a season after getting cut by the Eagles in June after he held out on OTAs while trying to get a new deal from the team. But those with cap space weren’t going to sign an almost 34-year old guard, as good as he might be.

And those with little cap space just weren’t capable of meeting his demands. But the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins have been interested all along, and it seems like the Dolphins will be the team for Mathis, who missed seven games last season. However, if a deal is signed, it’ll be for about half the money Mathis was initially looking for, which makes sense considering his age and previous injury.

The Eagles didn’t do Mathis any favors by releasing him “so late” but this is a business and not some friendship league. Chip Kelly has been cutting the wage bill all offseason, and Mathis, thinking he’s owed a lot more money than he was getting paid, became a distraction, no longer a vital part of a very good offensive line.

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