I know the NFL Draft is two and a half months away, and a lot can happen between now and then. However, for the Miami Dolphins, they enter the offseason being $50 million over the salary cap and have six picks, which is more than last year’s four picks. The Dolphins have 1st, 2nd, 5th, two six-round picks, and a 7th-round pick, but the Dolphins don’t have a 3rd, thanks to owner Stephen Ross, and a 4th. With the Dolphins’ cap situation this year and probably next year, they will be going through some lean years with the salary cap, and they need to start getting more picks to add younger players on cheap contracts to balance this out.Â
The Dolphins, for the last couple of years, have been going all in and trading picks for players like Jalen Ramsey, Bradley Chubb, and Tyreek Hill. It’s fine that they did that, but with those players locked in on big contracts along with other players, the Dolphins won’t be able to resign many of their free agents this year. The Dolphins have Christian Wilkins, Robert Hunt, Connor Williams, and others looking to get paid. The Dolphins realistically won’t be able to keep these players, and in fact, they might lose a lot of them.Â
The Dolphins could get picks next year in the compensatory draft pick formula for losing free agents, but that’s next year. The Dolphins need to think about getting more picks this year. There is always good value on players in the 3rd and 4th rounds. The Dolphins must find a way to get a pick in one or both rounds. The compensatory pick formula is complicated and based on free agents you signed, lost, and other factors. There is no guarantee the Dolphins will get a 3rd or 4th-round pick, but most likely if they aren’t active in free agency.Â
The Dolphins had the most picks of any team in the NFL in 2020 and 2021, but the last two years have had the fewest picks. The Dolphins must look to get more, especially with the team being up against the cap and potentially losing players. The issue the Dolphins could have is finding a trade partner because the draft isn’t an exact science, and players could rise and fall during the draft. If a player at 21 falls to the Dolphins with great potential, then they shouldn’t pass on them. There could be a team in the 2nd round that might look to trade back into the 1st round to potentially get a quarterback potentially, and that is where the Dolphins could potentially net a haul, but that is no guarantee. Â
I like how general manager Chris Grier has been aggressive the last few years in bringing in talented players, but right now, he will have to cool it on that and look to add more talented players in the draft on cheaper contracts. The front office has found talented players in the draft over the years, and they need to get more picks to find more. The salary cap every few years puts teams in a bind and doesn’t allow teams to keep their players. It’s that time when the Dolphins will be doing that balancing act.Â
Miami definitely needs to trade back. But another avenue is undrafted free agents. Plus maybe Miami can get under the salary cap and franchise wilkins and trade him for picks.
Every year, you should have a backup plan that if your preferred first rounders get picked, you should consider trading back to the second round to pick up first round talent at discounted prices. 2nd rounders are more risky, and you generally can’t pick up the premium positions like Top WR, QB, etc… but if you hit on a 2nd rounder, you save millions and help you cap.
There is extra pressure this year to trade back because of our cap problems. If there is a can’t miss player at 21, like the #1 Center, etc… then we should pull the trigger. In general, the top 50 players are pretty good, so if you can trade the #1 for 2 #2’s… and then hit on them, it’s a win, but it’s also riskier.
Trading back on other picks is different/less risky. Once you get past pick 100, then all of the picks are risky, and you better have good scouts; you get under-achievers with size, or over-achievers who are small, or injured players who would have been picked higher if they weren’t injured, but you might have to wait a year for them to heal up. Or you can go conventional and follow the board/needs(holes).
I agree with Rich M just looked at the teams who have been making consistently and used their playbook to better the team .Just looked at the Chiefs, Cowboys, 49ers how they address their team needs a combination of the draft and free agents .These teams scouting and coaches do a great job of developing the players they bring into their system .The Fins has some best football minds in the front office with a mixture of a former player like McKenzie and like Grier and I forget the other executive.
A lot depends on the strengths and weaknesses of the draft. If there are 3 O-linemen with equal potential, you can focus on them. Kelce’s brother was a 6th round pick. Brady? We need talent, but we also need depth. Injuries frequently decide how the season will go. A physical TE who can catch and block would be helpful to both the running and passing game. Kelce-like or Kittle-like… it’s no accident the 49ers and the Chiefs both have good TES…Hill needs another receiver, maybe a TE…to complement his game. 49ers have RB/receiver. Chiefs have two deep receivers who can fly plus Kelce. Tua is accurate and has a nice touch on the long ball. Maybe Archane needs to be a receiver. He needs ten pounds of muscle and is not well-suited to run between the tackles, seems fragile…well suited for quick screens and maybe deep patterns