Tyson

Clabo

Clabo was a limited participant in practice on Friday and Saturday. He is one of the top right tackles in the league, so his loss would be significant to a line trying to stop Broncos top pass rushers Von Miller and Derek Wolfe from the left side. If Clabo can’t suit up, 2010 third-rounder Mike Johnson would fill in.

SLB Stephen Nicholas and RT Tyson Clabo were also listed. Robinson has an $8 million base salary, and will count a little over $9 million against the cap. Nicholas will earn a meager $2.5 million, while Clabo is due $4.5 million. As it stands right now, the Falcons have only $1.7 million in salary cap space.

Clabo’s agent reportedly reached out to the Dolphins, but they never called back. The Cowboys and Jaguars expressed interest in Clabo following his release from the Falcons, but he’s yet to make a visit in free agency. Clabo is coming off a strong season, but will likely have to be amenable to an incentive-laden, one-year contract.

Now that the Branden Albert trade has cooled, the Dolphins are moving on to other options. They’ve looked at Bryant McKinnie and Eric Winston, and will now kick the tires on the best free-agent right tackle available in Clabo. We’re still not sure this would solve the Dolphins’ real problem -- keeping Jonathan Martin off Ryan Tannehill’s blind side. Clabo is a power blocker with no NFL experience at left tackle, and would be a poor fit in Miami’s zone scheme.

The move essentially locks in Jonathan Martin as the Dolphins’ starting left tackle after an abominable rookie season. Miami is showing an awful lot of blind faith in last year’s second-round pick. Clabo, going on age 32, graded out as the NFL’s fifth-best right tackle in 2012, per Pro Football Focus’ ratings. He was strong in both protection and run blocking, although 6-foot-6, 329-pound Clabo has always been a power blocker. He’ll have to learn to zone block in Joe Philbin’s scheme.

Beat writer Armando Salguero thinks the Dolphins are only interested in signing Winston if the 29-year-old decides he’ll play for Miami “very, very cheaply.” After drawing a boatload of perceived interest shortly after his release, Winston’s market has gone ice cold. Salguero adds that recently released RT Tyson Clabo could be a possibility for the Fins.

Clabo, 31, was cut by Atlanta on Thursday morning, and it’s not a surprise he’s already drawing interest. Dallas currently has overpaid bust Doug Free manning right tackle. The Jags have openly stated that if the season started today, they don’t know who would anchor the right side of the line. Clabo has nastiness to him and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 right tackle in 2012.

The Cowboys have made calls to both Clabo and fellow free agent RT Eric Winston just in case RT Doug Free refuses a pay cut. Beat writer Todd Archer says there are “far fewer” fans of Winston at the Cowboys’ facility. Winston is said to be seeking $3-4 million per year, but the Cowboys aren’t willing to pay him that. They could, however, be willing to pay Clabo that kind of coin.

It’s a salary cap move as the Falcons work toward a Matt Ryan extension. Clabo started 100 games and made one Pro Bowl during his seven-year Atlanta career, but was owed $4.5M in each of the next three seasons. In-house replacement Lamar Holmes will make just $480K in 2013. Still, it’s surprising to see ProFootballFocus’ No. 5 right tackle get axed. Clabo turns 32 in October, but there are plenty of teams in need of a 6'6/329 mauler. He joins Andre Smith and Eric Winston in a surprisingly loaded free agent right tackle market.

La Canfora believes Clabo would be Dallas’ “guy” over Winston if given the choice, but the team needs to clear more salary cap space. Clabo fits the Cowboys’ power-blocking scheme much better than Winston.