With his NFL career yet to start, Miami Dolphins first-round draft pick Dion Jordan decided he didn’t want to fall any farther behind.
Jordan, a defensive end and linebacker from Oregon, signed a multiyear contract Saturday and will take part in the first training camp practice Sunday. He missed all of the Dolphins’ offseason workouts because Oregon is on the quarter system.
Jordan’s deal is worth $20,572,298 in total, including a signing bonus of $13,341,672 and $5,070,626 in guaranteed roster bonuses. The signing bonus will be paid over the next four months.
With his signing, the Dolphins have all nine draft choices under contract. Players reported Saturday.
Jordan has been in South Florida for the past two months working out with teammates, but conceded he had ground to make up because of the practices he missed. He had right shoulder surgery in February and might be limited at the start of camp.
The 6-foot-6, 240-pound Jordan was the third player taken in the draft after the Dolphins swung a trade with Oakland to move up nine spots. Miami projects he’ll upgrade a defense that tied for fourth-worst in the league in takeaways last year.
Jordan totaled 14½ career sacks as a speed rusher in college and has drawn comparisons to former Dolphin Jason Taylor. Jordan may initially be a pass-rush specialist with the Dolphins, but they anticipate he’ll eventually become an every-down end in their 4-3 scheme opposite Cameron Wake, who has 43 sacks over the past four seasons.
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