Miami Dolphins trade out of third pick in NFL Draft in two blockbuster deals
The Miami Dolphins made two monumental trades Friday, moving down slightly in the April 29 NFL Draft but adding future assets.
After separate blockbuster trades with the 49ers and Eagles were done, Miami was left with the sixth pick in April’s draft (instead of the third pick that it held to begin the day) and also with a 2023 first-round pick via San Francisco and a third-round 49ers pick in 2022.
In addition, the Dolphins will have one first-round selection in 2022, but it will be San Francisco’s pick, not their own. That leaves the Dolphins at risk next season if they struggle and the 49ers win big, because Miami will be picking in the 49ers’ spot and the Eagles will be selecting in Miami’s spot in the first round of the 2022 Draft.
Friday’s whirlwind of activity began when the Dolphins traded the third overall pick to San Francisco for the 12th pick in this year’s draft, a 2022 third-rounder and first-round picks in 2022 and 2023.
Then the Dolphins traded that 12th overall pick, the 123rd overall pick in this 2021 draft and their own 2022 first-round pick to Philadelphia for the sixth pick and the 156th overall pick in this year’s draft.
According to a source in touch with the Dolphins, Miami received four offers for the third pick in the past few weeks and decided not to wait until closer to the draft to pull the trigger.
The Dolphins’ primary goal was to collect coveted future assets without moving down too far in this draft. But the move also saves about $1.3 million in 2021 cap space. The Dolphins will need $10.6 million to sign their draft class after Friday’s trades.
The trade with Philadelphia for the sixth pick keeps alive the strong possibility of Miami being able to acquire either one of the draft’s top receivers (LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase or Alabama’s DeVonta Smith) or UF tight end Kyle Pitts with the sixth pick.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter has said that it’s highly likely that four of the top six or seven picks will be quarterbacks; the Dolphins are committed to Tua Tagovailoa and don’t intend to select a quarterback high in the draft, if at all.
It’s also likely that the top two picks will be quarterbacks, and the Cincinnati Bengals won’t take a quarterback at No. 5. It’s also possible that the 49ers at No. 3 and/or the Atlanta Falcons at No. 4 could take a quarterback.
So at No. 6, Miami should have its choice of at least one (and possibly more) among Chase, Pitts and Smith.
All three could be on the board at No. 6 if the five picks before No. 6 are four quarterbacks and an offensive tackle (Oregon’s Penei Sewell or Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater).
Besides the sixth pick, the Dolphins also have the 18th pick in April’s draft, plus selections at 36 and 50 in the second round, 81st in the third round, 156th in the fifth round and 231st and 258th in the seventh round.
Potential Dolphins options at 18 include UM defensive ends Greg Rousseau and Jaelan Phillips, Michigan defensive end Kwity Paye, UF receiver Kadarius Toney, Alabama running back Najee Harris, Tulsa linebacker Zaven Collins, Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Kentucky linebacker Jamin Davis.
So here’s the Dolphins’ first-round inventory during the next three years:
In 2021, the Dolphins have Philadelphia’s first-rounder at No. 6 and their own at No. 18.
In 2022, the Dolphins have San Francisco’s first-rounder but not their own first-rounder, which was sent to Philadelphia.
In 2023, the Dolphins have their own first-rounder as well as San Francisco’s first-rounder.
Here’s another way of looking at what the Dolphins did: They’ve essentially turned Laremy Tunsil into four first-rounders, two second-rounders and a third-rounder.
This story was originally published March 26, 2021 at 1:17 PM.
