Miami Dolphins notes: Trade talk, QB evaluations plus heavenly praise for Chris Grier
A former NFL general manager suggested Tuesday that the Miami Dolphins will not have to trade up to land any quarterback in the draft not named Joe Burrow.
Ex-Buccaneers executive Mark Dominik — now a host on SiriusXM — appeared on a predraft national conference call with Hall of Famer Gil Brandt on Tuesday and ticked off the flaws of both Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon’s Justin Herbert.
And believes both will be available at five.
“Tua’s the much better talent,” Dominik said. “Velocity, competitive, leadership. I don’t think there’s a GM out there worried about Tua playing in 2020. It’s ‘Will he be there in 2022 or 2028?’ That’s what you’re really struggling with with Tua. People feel like he’ll [someday] need a hip replacement. You just don’t know when. If Tua slips past six, there’s a lot more medical concerns for everyone in the league that we’re being led to understand.”
As for Herbert, Dominik said: “Super smart. Good kid. Quick study. People look at him and see Marcus Mariota, That makes some clubs a little nervous. I‘ve talked to some quarterback people who think he’s a third-rounder. ... I don’t think he’s a guy you have to trade up and get. If you like Justin, more than likely can stay where you are and get him.”
Brandt, a 29-year personnel administrator for the Dallas Cowboys, has a Dolphins draft take that’s even more eye-opening.
“I would not be surprised to see Miami take a position player at that [fifth] spot,” Brand said. “... I wouldn’t be surprised if Miami tried to trade down from that spot and take a really good position player or roll the dice on [Tagovailoa]. They probably know more than anyone about what his longevity will be.”
While Dominik has reservations about Herbert’s game, Brandt loves him, ranking him the fourth-best prospect in the draft, regardless of position and ahead of Tagovailoa.
Still, despite all of Tagovailoa’s medical red flags, Dominik believes “Miami probably will take him” at five, due in no small part to the residual scar tissue from the organization’s Drew Brees screw-up 14 years ago.
“I don’t know if there’ isn’t another, ‘Let’s not have another Drew Brees,’” Dominik added.
More Dolphins draft chatter
Most expect the Dolphins to go quarterback at five and then offensive tackle with their second first-round pick, but Dominik has another idea:
Doubling down on a new strength.
“I think linebacker [at 18],” Dominik said. “I think they can get really, really powerful at linebacker. At pick 18, if [Oklahoma’s] Kenneth Murray was still available, I’d be really fired up.”
If they listen to that idea, the Dolphins’ third first-rounder, 26th overall, would almost certainly have to be offensive tackle. Brandt mentioned Houston’s Josh Jones and Boise State’s Ezra Cleveland as possibilities.
But should the Dolphins pass on quarterback at five, they probably will either take an offensive lineman, Ohio State Jeff Okudah or Clemson hybrid defender Isaiah Simmons with their top pick.
And just like Brandt isn’t buying the hype on Tagovailoa, he has some concerns about Okudah.
“[His] workout at the Combine wasn’t all that good,” said Brandt, when asked about the Lions’ (who pick third) interest in the Buckeyes cornerback. “I do think he’s a pretty good player. Have him my 10th-best player. He’ll be a player and will play in the NFL. Do you take a guy like that at three or try to move down?”
Praise for Chris Grier
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier not only has the most and best assets in next week’s draft, but he also has acquired the most draft value among all 32 franchises beyond the seven picks granted every team — and it’s not particularly close.
That’s according to Football Perspective, which ranks the Dolphins first in both draft value and difference between draft value and draft value assigned.
Granted, to get that haul, they punted on the 2019 season and traded four players who had excellent years for other teams: Laremy Tunsil, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ryan Tannehill and Robert Quinn.
But that was the past. The future has arrived — and it’s bright.
“I think they’re sitting in heaven, really,” Brandt said, “with the choices that they have and the players that they have to pick from. It’s a great situation to need a quarterback for the future an have three of them sitting there including [Jordan] Love from Utah State, who might just be a year away. I think they will have a banner draft. They’ve already done a pretty good job with free agency.”
