On Monday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the Miami Dolphins have been getting calls from other teams trying to move up to the number 6 pick. When I heard this, I felt it was crazy especially considering the Dolphins traded back from pick 3 to pick 12 with the San Francisco 49ers. Then the Dolphins traded up from pick 12 to pick 6 with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Dolphins ended up with a future 1st and 3rd round pick. The thinking was the Dolphins would be in prime position to take one of the top playmakers in the draft in tight end Kyle Pitts or wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. However, it seems things have changed since those trades were made.

It seems pretty obvious, barring a shocking turn of events, the first 3 picks in the draft will be quarterbacks, and the draft will start at pick 4 with the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons, it would seem, would take a quarterback because their quarterback Matt Ryan is 35 years old and might want to look to the future given Ryan’s age, and the team may good in a rebuild mode. However, it sounds like the Falcons are open to anything from taking a quarterback, trading down, or even taking the best player available, which sounds like it would be Pitts. Nobody seems to have an idea what the Falcons will do. Then the Cincinnati Bengals are picking 5th. The Bengals have an obvious need with their offensive line after their young quarterback Joe Burrow took so many hits last year and eventually tore his ACL, so you would think the Bengals would like to draft an offensive lineman to protect their franchise quarterback. Not so fast, my friend. It seems the Bengals are very open to drafting Chase and reuniting with him Burrow, who were both teammates in college.

[pickup_prop id=”6428″]

This could be a worst-case scenario for the general manager Chris Grier and the Dolphins because it seemed a month ago it was almost a lock that Pitts or Chase would fall to pick 6. If this scenario plays out, the question is, what do the Dolphins do next? The next best receivers are Alabama receivers Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. Smith is being scrutinized the most because of his lack of size, being at 166 lbs, which is considered small for his position to be taken that high despite a very productive college career. Waddle is a little bigger but is also coming off an ankle injury last year. Both players should be productive players in the NFL.

The question is do the Dolphins want to draft them at pick 6? Grier said in his end-of-the-season press conference the need to add more playmakers so the Dolphins shouldn’t get too cute here. However, if a team is looking for a quarterback, such as the Denver Broncos at pick 9, could the Dolphins be willing to move back and pick up more picks? It’s very intriguing, but if I were the Dolphins, I wouldn’t screw around with this unless I knew for sure I could potentially get Smith or Waddle if I moved back 3 spots. Grier is under a lot of pressure to get more help for his young quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to help him grow as a quarterback and compete for the AFC East title.

What makes the draft interesting every year is when teams make trades and throw curveballs in the draft, especially in the first round. Other teams besides the Broncos need a quarterback, like the Washington Football Team, New England Patriots, and Chicago Bears. The Dolphins probably won’t trade with their division rival in the Patriots. Washington, who picks 19, and the Bears, who picks 20, would be quite a trade back from pick 6. Both teams would have to give up some serious draft capital and possibly players to move up. Washington is coming off a playoff appearance in head coach Ron Rivera’s first season, and I don’t see him making a move like this.

However, the Bears are a different story because their general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy are on the hot seat going into next season, so they are desperate to try to get a franchise quarterback. If Pace and Nagy are that desperate, it could be something Grier could take advantage of, just like with Bill O’Brien and the Houston Texans in the Larmey Tunsil deal. I doubt this will happen, but if the Bears are willing to part future first-round picks and say Khalil Mack maybe then I might be tempted because Mack would fill the edge rusher the Dolphins need, and this is a deep receiver class where the Dolphins could get a receiver later in the first round.

This is all speculation, and it’s what makes the draft intriguing to watch because of all of the talk. Most of it is all smoke screens, but then there are some curveballs that get a throw-in. It’s improbable any trade will be made until draft night next week, and then see how the draft goes, especially when the Falcons are on the clock because that’s when the draft will start. Grier is probably going through different scenarios if the top playmakers in Chase and Pitts aren’t on the board. Only he knows what it will take for the Dolphins to trade out of the 6th pick.