As the NFL Combine approaches, Miami Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier enters a critical period of unspoken negotiations with other general managers around the league. The Combine presents an opportunity for teams to solidify their draft strategies, evaluate potential trade targets, and shape the future of their rosters.
This is a pivotal moment for the Dolphins to explore trade possibilities and make moves that can strengthen the team heading into the 2025 season.
One of the Dolphins’ most valuable resources is their draft capital. Miami has accumulated extra compensatory picks over the years, providing Grier with the flexibility to make impactful moves. Though often in the third and later rounds, these picks could be used as bargaining chips to move up in the draft or secure key players in trades.
While the Dolphins may not have the luxury of trading up in the first round, trading back could be smart. Miami could use the opportunity to gather additional picks, particularly if they aim to deepen their roster with young, cost-effective talent. Teams further down in the draft, desperate to move up for a quarterback or skill position player, could offer Miami a valuable trade package that includes multiple picks.
However, it’s not just draft picks that Grier could use in negotiations. There are also players who could be moved to create more cap space or bolster the team in other areas. Two significant names that come to mind are wide receiver Tyreek Hill and pass rusher Bradley Chubb.
Both players hold value, but for very different reasons, and both could be trade candidates. Of course, any deal for these players would require the other teams to work with us on their contracts, but these players could bring substantial returns.
Tyreek Hill has been a game-changer for the Dolphins since his arrival, but as Grier works to balance the roster and potentially shift the locker room dynamics, Hill may be a trade candidate.
On the other hand, Bradley Chubb was having a Pro Bowl-caliber season before an injury cut his 2023 campaign short. If he can return to form, Chubb offers tremendous value in a position that teams are always looking to strengthen: the pass rush.
In conclusion, the NFL Combine could be a pivotal week for Chris Grier and the Dolphins. The moves made during this time could and should set the tone for the 2025 season. Will it be the week that Chris Grier can point to and be thankful he gets a few more years as the GM for the Dolphins? Or will it once again not be good enough and take us back to square one?
Only time will tell.
