The Dolphins have welcomed back defensive end Dion Jordan. But he’s still not getting his $1.7 million roster bonus.
Per a league source, the team will be placing Jordan on the non-football injury list due to a knee problem that required arthroscopic surgery. Jordan failed a physical on Saturday.
The move allows the team to retain the $1.7 million roster bonus that Jordan otherwise would have received on Monday. But for his suspensions under the substance-abuse, the payment would have been fully guaranteed.
Jordan still wouldn’t have gotten the money, as a practical matter. The team, according to the source, would have retained the amount in order to partially recoup the $3.35 million in signing bonus money forfeited by Jordan due to his latest suspension. To date, the Dolphins have recovered none of the money.
They nevertheless have Jordan in the plans for 2016. He’s believed to be a few weeks away from being able to practice, and the intention is to give him a chance to make the roster and start earning money -- even if a lot of it will be kept by the organization.