Miami Dolphins GM Chris Grier discusses dynamic of trading up for a QB in coming draft
So Joe Burrow says he will play for any team that drafts him — including the Cincinnati Bengals, who hold the coming NFL draft’s No. 1 pick. That eliminates one potential trade-up for the Dolphins.
Womp, womp, womp.
But there’s more.
Because a great number of teams have had to trade up in recent years to land their franchise quarterbacks and the Dolphins this year might have to do the same.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier didn’t rule out making such a move but insisted the club has had no such discussions with anyone about doing that, contrary to published reports.
“No, not yet, because we’re so early,” Grier told reporters during an availability at the Indianapolis Combine on Tuesday. “No team has really met many of these guys yet. So I think until everyone goes through the process, as we’ve talked about, that’s when we’ll make determinations on what’s best for our franchise.”
In recent years the Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills and other teams have traded up in the first round to pick their quarterbacks.
The Dolphins know this and might have to follow suit if they want to draft Tua Tagovailoa or even Justin Herbert in the first round. Indeed, before Burrow said he would be willing to play for Cincinnati, Grier didn’t even rule out a leap to the top spot when asked about that specifically.
“I don’t think you’d rule out anything right now,” he said. “I think we’re wide open to everything.”
Now, obviously, we’re talking more about a move to No. 3 where Detroit sits or No. 4 where the New York Giants sit — although New York GM Dave Gettleman has no recent history for trading down.
The Dolphins have three first-round picks — Nos. 5, 18 and 26 — and two second-round picks they can include in a trade-up scenario. They can also offer two 2021 first-rounders in addition to or instead of this year’s picks.
It’s a dynamic that will be involved.
“We feel good,” Grier said. “History shows with the things we’ve done and the picks we’ve acquired and the money that we feel good about our standing and the flexibility to move up and down or stand pat.
“It’s a conversation that sometimes it happens before you talk and sometimes it might happen when you’re on the clock on draft day. Again, it’s weighing. You look at what’s available, how many players are at that position and available as you’re looking at your board. And then in terms of when you’re doing it in free agency it’s just working with the team and seeing what’s best for your organization.
“It’s a lot of conversations. It’s nothing that’s ever done quickly. And in terms of when [it includes] veteran parts you’re looking at salary cap money, how it’s going to affect the years and length left on contracts.”
The Dolphins could decide to stand pat at No. 5. That is always a possibility as well.
“We feel good about where we are right now,” Grier said. “We feel we’ve done a lot of things that give us flexibility, through the draft and free agency. So for right now, we feel really good where we are.”
This story was originally published February 25, 2020 at 10:08 AM.
