Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Report: Dolphins' star pass rusher Wake holding out

BY SEAN DONOVAN

One of the Dolphins' best players is also one of the most underpaid, and he wants to change that.

Star pass rusher Cameron Wake is planning to hold out of training camp until he gets a new contract, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Wake was not in attendance for the first day of Miami's voluntary offseason training program on Tuesday.

Wake, 30, is scheduled to make $650,000 this season, the final year of his current contract.

The Dolphins signed Wake out of the CFL in 2009, and he has developed into one of the premier pass rushers in the league. Despite seeing frequent double teams, Wake has recorded 28 sacks in three seasons.

After not being selected in the 2005 draft out of Penn State, Wake was signed by the Giants but failed to make the roster. He then played for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League from 2007-08, winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in both of his seasons there. He then signed a four-year, $4.9 million deal with the Dolphins.

Miami could conceivably free up cap room to offset a Wake extension by also extending star offensive tackle Jake Long, and in the process lock up two of their best players for the long term. Concerns about Long's health may prevent that from happening soon, as Long missed two games with injury in 2011.

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