dolphin

NFL free agency is here!

Well, kind of.

The league’s so-called legal tampering period begins Monday at 9 a.m. PT, when teams are allowed to start negotiating with the agents for players who are about to become unrestricted free agents. No contracts can actually be signed, however, until the the start of the new NFL league year, which is Wednesday at 1 p.m. PT.

So, basically, fans will start finding out what moves their teams make and where various players will land starting Monday morning.

Hours before the legal tampering period started, the Miami Dolphins announced they will release longtime quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The 2023 All Star will count $99 million against the Dolphins’ salary cap, the biggest dead cap hit in NFL history. The money can be split over the next two seasons if Tagovailoa is designated a post-June 1 release.

In six years with the Dolphins, Tagovailoa went 44-32 as a starter, completing 68% of his passes for 18,166 yards with 120 touchdowns and 59 interceptions. He made the Pro Bowl in 2023.

“Wearing this jersey and representing this city has been one of the greatest joys of my life,” Tagovailoa wrote Monday on Instagram, adding: “I also carry deep regret that I couldn’t get the job done and bring a championship home to this city. Miami deserves that, and I’ll always wish I could have delivered it for you.”

Who are some of the other big names in the free agency market? As far as quarterbacks are concerned, Green Bay Packers backup Malik Willis could be a hot commodity. Daniel Jones is a free agent after a strong season with Indianapolis, although the Colts placed the transition tag on him and can match any offer.

Veteran quarterback Kyler Murray was informed by the Arizona Cardinals last week that they will be letting him go at the start of the new league year. The Atlanta Falcons have made a similar announcement regarding Kirk Cousins. Other available veteran quarterbacks include Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco, Russell Wilson and Marcus Mariota.

Teams in need of a running back might be interested in the services of Kenneth Walker III, who will be a free agent just weeks after he was named Super Bowl LX MVP as a member of the Seattle Seahawks. Travis Etienne of the Jacksonville Jaguars could also find a new home.

This also seems to be a big year for free agent edge rushers (including Trey Hendrickson, Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson and Boye Mafe) and wide receivers (including Alec Pierce, Mike Evans, Romeo Doubs, Rashid Shaheed and Jauan Jennings).

Check back here for updates as teams begin making moves.

When the horn sounded to end Friday night’s City Section Open Division boys’ basketball final, the first person OJ and EJ Popoola wanted to hug was their father, Chris.

Thirty years ago, he transferred from Westchester to Palisades to help the Dolphins reach the 4A semifinals. In June, his twin sons transferred to his alma mater from a Detroit prep school with hopes of making their papa proud and lifting the town’s spirit.

Mission accomplished.

OJ scored 19 and EJ added 17 as the Dolphins used tenacious defense, a three-point barrage and a relentless transition attack to overwhelm Cleveland, 75-56, at L.A. Southwest College.

Jack Levey made five three-pointers, raising his season total to 108, and Phil Reed had 13 points.

“This means everything,” OJ Popoola said. “Since the first day we came here this is what we wanted to do, bring joy back to the community.”

“We’re coming back next year to defend the title,” EJ Popoola added. “My dad’s team came up short but we finished the job.”

Playing the final at a neutral site was nothing new for a squad that did not play in its own gym for 42 straight games — a span of 388 days — in the aftermath of the Palisades fire last year.

“We accomplished two goals, winning league and City,” second-year coach Jeff Bryant said. “Now state is the third goal.”

Palisades (20-11) was in command from the start. OJ Popoola swished a three-pointer from the corner, Reed got a steal and scored on a layup, and Levey passed to OJ Popoola for a dunk, making it 7-0 after only 55 seconds. The Dolphins stretched the lead to 25-8 by the end of the first quarter and the margin was 19 by halftime.

Both teams lost in the Open Division semifinals last winter and were the preseason favorites to play for the title. They were awarded the top seeds in the eight-team bracket after each finished first in its league.

The Dolphins staked their claim as the best team in the City for the first time since 1969, when Palisades routed Reseda 85-57 in the final at Pauley Pavilion under the program’s first coach, Jerry Marvin, to finish the season 21-1 when there was only one playoff division. Leading that team was forward Chris Marlowe, who was named MVP after netting 29 points in the title game. He went on to captain the U.S. Olympic volleyball team that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics.

Since it opened in 1961, Palisades has been the crown jewel of the City Section, claiming more than 260 titles across all sports (more than twice as many as the next-closest school), but this is only the third in boys’ basketball.

Palisades captured the Division I crown six years ago under former coach Donzell Hayes, who was a teammate of Chris Popoola on the Dolphins’ 1995-96 team that fell in overtime to Crenshaw (coached by the legendary Willie West) in the 4A semifinals.

“My team was one game away but these kids completed the circle,” Chris Popoola said, then referenced a famous Dolphins alum. “I hope Steve Kerr was watching.”

Sophomore guard Charlie Adams, who scored 24 points in the Cavaliers’ 68-64 overtime win against Fairfax in the semifinals, was limited to 13 — part of Bryant’s pregame plan.

Sergine Deme scored 19 points and had five dunks, and TJ Wansa added 11 points for No. 2 Cleveland (20-10), which was seeking its first championship since back-to-back 3A titles under Greg Herrick in 1981 and 1982.

No City opponent came closer than 15 points against Palisades, which now waits to see what division it will play in for the state playoffs.

“We’re not done,” OJ Popoola said.

“We can compete with anyone,” EJ added.