Chris Grier’s message to Dolphins fans begging for Tua? Trust us to get the pick right
From Facebook posts to sports talk radio to open letters to the organization, Dolphins fans have used every tool at their disposal to send this very basic message to their favorite team:
Draft Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa next week. If not, they will be ticked.
How ticked? Many — including thousands who responded to our (admittedly unscientific) Twitter poll — insist their wallets will be closed if Tagovailoa isn’t the Dolphins’ quarterback of the future.
That isn’t (and shouldn’t be) any concern to Chris Grier, the Dolphins’ general manager and team’s final decision maker.
He might take Tagovailoa. He might take Oregon’s Justin Herbert. Perhaps he trade up to No. 1 for Joe Burrow. Or perhaps he takes a position player at No. 5 and uses Miami’s second of three first-round picks on a quarterback such as Utah State’s Jordan Love.
Grier, appearing in a video conference with Miami-based reporters Thursday, said the team’s draft board isn’t yet set, but added “we have an idea of who we like.”
He has plenty of good options. Grier said that there are “probably eight or nine” players that the Dolphins “feel really good about.” There’s a chance they can land not just one but two of those eight, particularly if they swing a trade up from 18.
But the smart money is on the Dolphins taking either Tagovailoa — whose talent is undeniable but his injury risk is considerable — or Herbert at No. 5. The Dolphins have spent substantial time with each, in person and/or via video conferencing.
“They’re both interesting kids,” Grier said. “I’ve gotten to know both of them through this process. They’re really good players. Good people. They’ve both won. For us, going through the process. Quarterback is what everyone wants to know. But we spend a lot of time on a lot of top players. And no different with them. They’re both very talented players. Both have won a lot of games. Both are intelligent players.”
But Tagovailoa — with his beautiful release, elite timing and laser accuracy — is the runaway favorite among Dolphins fans.
If the Dolphins pass on Tagovailoa to take Herbert, the reaction in many parts of the team’s fan base would be disappointment, and probably outright anger.
Grier’s message to fans, who so badly want the team to solve its two-decade quarterback issue?
“I would say we’ve done a lot of things here with us and spent a lot of time — Brian [Flores], the coaching staff, scouts — we’ve spent a lot of time going through it. We’ve spent a lot of time with the players. We’ve spent a lot of time doing it. We’re going to do what we feel is best for the Miami Dolphins. I would hope that they have some trust in what we’re doing, they believe in what we’re doing..
“They’re a passionate fan base. I hear it from people at the grocery store. The pest control guy was spraying for ants at the house and he was here asking me Dolphins questions the whole time. It’s good. My wife and kids are worse than you guys. Every day they pop in my office and go, ‘Who are we taking?’ It’s a fun, exciting thing. For us, we’ll do what’s best for the Dolphins and we feel good about the process.”
Grier addressed other issues Thursday:
▪ He didn’t rule out moving up or down from No. 5.
“In terms of moving up, we’re in same process we use every year,” he said. “Teams call us. We call every team. Every team calls every team. Everyone is doing their due diligence, just to see what options are available, if anyone wants to move up, trade up. For us it’s the same. I know it’s been scrutinized more because of all the picks we have and what we’re doing but it’s really the same process I’ve had since I’ve been here.”
▪ Marvin Allen, the executive who was hired by Grier last offseason to be Miami’s assistant general manager, has become a key piece of the team’s decision-making process.
“Marvin played running back for my dad at New England,” Grier said. “I’ve known Marvin since I was growing up. ... His work ethic has always been good, very intelligent. He’s got a great demeanor. People like talking to him so he gets a lot of information. But again, it’s evaluation. He has an eye for talent. ... Very excited to have him here. He’s a great addition to us.”
▪ New offensive coordinator Chan Gailey also has been incorporated in predraft meetings.
“It’s been a process with Chan,” Grier said. “Communication has been great. From our end, it has been pretty smooth.”
▪ Grier said in free agency, Miami targeted players who were between 25 and 28 — linebacker Kyle Van Noy is the only newcomer who’s older than that, at 29 — and also wanted “guys who have been winners, great locker room guys, mentors because we have such a young team.
“We wanted volume of guys, especially not knowing where we would be in the future. We need guys who can help these young guys transition and learn. Having guys with familiarity with Brian was really important.”
Grier suggested the Dolphins addressed areas in free agency where the draft wasn’t perhaps as strong.
▪ Grier praised what quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick “has done for the locker room” and said Josh Rosen “has done a great job of how he’s progressed since last season. He went through a tough thing being a top-10 pick, being traded. He’s still a young player.”
This story was originally published April 16, 2020 at 2:38 PM.
