The Miami Dolphins must have a difficult conversation themselves about this month’s 2021 NFL draft. Every decision you make about which players to invest in is challenging. There are a lot of dynamics at play for each selection that cause ripple effects in the rest of the list; so no decision should be taken easily.
But the Dolphins have an even more unenviable decision with the general selection no. 18 at the end of the month: do you design a high value position such as a passer and are you at risk of losing a back that could greatly increase your running game? Or are you preparing to meet the need and hope for the best in finding someone to stimulate your pace?
Miami will not have to wait too long for the next selection scheduled at number 36 overall, but there is a reasonable chance that the team’s favorite target in both places will not be there next time they come in line. If the Dolphins are committed to improving their passing speed, they would probably be wise to stay in 18th place and choose – whether it’s Kwity Paye, Jaelan Phillips or Azeez Ojulari. The demand for passengers will increase quite quickly in this project and the Dolphins currently have the proverbial ground raised against a potential flight.
But if Miami wants to back off, exploring a trade-down situation may be in the best books for Miami. The review of the Dolphins roster is in full swing, and while the team is unlikely to be able to meet a rookie class of more than 12 players this season, Miami is currently missing from the Day 3 selection. top 50 and five in the top 100, they have only three selections left: one in the 5th round and two in the 7th round. A change from 18 would be a prime opportunity for Dolphins to make additional choices to get more bat changes in this year’s project class.
And, best of all, if you’ve been trading since you were 18 and still manage to make sure you retire at your choice, the Dolphins have probably completed their design position twice in round 1 – given that the Dolphins are trading probably back in the draft order after trading in general election no. 3 to ensure that he would still be in a position to shoot the same player they coveted at number 3.
Ensuring the same players you would sign up for no. 3 and no. 18 in general, but getting both in subsequent slots, while adding more picks, is a demeanor of how to open an NFL draft. We’ll see if Chris Grier and the Dolphins have a craving for such an approach here in the coming weeks.