Lions give message to teams who might want No. 3 pick. And Miami Dolphins lose a coach
Some quick Dolphins notes on a Saturday:
▪ The Detroit Lions are ready to hear from the Dolphins -- and anybody else, for that matter -- about the No. 3 pick in April’s NFL Draft.
Lions general manager Bob Quinn said that no team had contacted him - as of Friday - about trading for the Lions’ third overall pick but he’s ready to have those discussions, wherever they may lead.
In a video released by the team, Quinn said he’s “open to any trades” with that third pick.
“The higher you are up in the draft, really the sooner the conversations begin,” Quinn said. “I have not had any trade conversations with anybody as of yet. Those usually tend to start in the Combine in the hallway that we kind of roll through and we’ll see how that goes.”
If the Dolphins bid to trade up - which some internally expect - they could face competition from the Chargers (sixth), Panthers (seventh) and Jaguars (ninth). All four of those teams could have interest in trading up for Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Quinn said he’s open to drafting any position but emphasized that he has no plans to trade Matt Stafford.
“He’s here; he’s our quarterback,” Quinn said. “All the rumors [to the contrary, from a Detroit TV station, are]... 100 percent false.”
The Detroit Free Press noted the Dolphins have picks 5, 18 and 26 in the first round and “likely would have to part with the first and last of those to move up to No. 3.” But that’s just one writer’s opinion.
So how much might it cost the Dolphins to move up?
In this piece, I looked at every NFL trade made in the past decade involving a swap of top-10 picks.
Tagovailoa indicated last week that he grew up a Cowboys fan and would love to play there. But in his strongest comments to date about the Dolphins, he told me on Lincoln Road last month that he would be “more than happy” to play for Miami, among other things in this piece.
Earlier this month, NFL Network reported Tagovailoa received good news on the medical front.
DORRELL REPORTEDLY LEAVING
Two days after the Dolphins gave wide receivers coach Karl Dorrell an additional title of assistant head coach, Dorrell is leaving to become head coach at Colorado, according to a league source.
Dorrell, a former head coach at UCLA, had two stints at Colorado - as wide receivers coach in 1992 and 1993 and offensive coordinator in 1995 through 1998.
Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker credited Dorrell for his emergence last season, particularly in the area of watching film.
That means second-year coach Brian Flores has now either replaced, lost or demoted eight coaches from his 2019 coaching staff.
Three were not retained: offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea, offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo and safeties coach Tony Oden.
Three left for other jobs: defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and assistant quarterbacks coach Jerry Schluplinski (both to the Giants) and Dorrell (to Colorado). A fourth, assistant head coach Jim Caldwell, left the organization of his volition after taking a leave of absence last season for medical reasons.
And linebackers coach Rob Leonard was re-assigned for assistant defensive line coach, replaced by former Michigan assistant Anthony Campanile.
Meanwhile, cornerbacks coach Josh Boyer was promoted to defensive coordinator.
The four top assistants returning in the same job: special teams coach Danny Crossman, tight ends coach George Godsey, running backs coach Eric Studesville and defensive line coach Marion Hobby.
DOLPHINS OFFENSIVE TACKLE TALK
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah voiced some concern about Georgia left tackle Andrew Thomas, who has been linked to the Dolphins at No. 18.
“He’s powerful; he’s dominant in the run game,” Jeremiah said Friday in a conference call previewing the network’s coverage of the Combine. “He can anchor in pass protection. He’s just on the ground a little bit [too much] for me. That was the concern, some of the balance issues. I know some teams would like to kick him over to the right side, but he’s definitely a first-round tackle.”
Jeremiah said of one of the top four tackle prospects, Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, “can play tackle in the NFL [but] he has a chance to be an elite guard.”
Though Jeremiah originally mocked USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson to Miami at 26, Jeremiah now says “I think he’s going to test really well” at the Combine and “you’re going to start hearing his name mentioned in the top-15 mix.”
Jeremiah says Jackson is a”better player” than Houston’s Josh Jones, another tackle who could be available to Miami at 18.
In this Friday piece, I explored the Dolphins’ options among offensive tackles, edge rushers, running backs and cornerbacks at No. 18 and No. 26 in the draft.
The NFL Combine begins next week in Indianapolis.
This story was originally published February 22, 2020 at 4:11 PM.
