How the Laremy Tunsil and March draft trades now look, with many of the picks made
A Miami Dolphins 6-pack on a Tuesday:
▪ So what’s the final verdict on the three enormous Dolphins trades of the past two years?
Here’s how they ended up:
The Dolphins’ 2019 deal for Laremy Tunsil sent Tunsil, receiver Kenny Stills, a fourth-round pick in 2020 and a 2021 sixth-round pick to Houston for a first-rounder in 2020, first- and second-round picks in 2021, tackle Julien Davenport and defensive back Johnson Bademosi.
After that trade and several that followed, the transactions can be synthesized this way:
Tunsil and Stills ultimately were traded for first-round cornerback Noah Igbinoghene, first-round receiver Jaylen Waddle, second-round safety Jevon Holland, fourth-round guard Solomon Kindley, Davenport (who left for Indianapolis in free agency this offseason after two nondescript seasons) a first-round pick from San Francisco in 2023 and a compensatory pick from the 49ers at the end of the third round in the 2022 draft.
Two fourth-round picks were exchanged with the Eagles and Steelers — one coming to Miami and one going out — but let’s not complicate things. And Miami’s own 2022 first-rounder was sent to Philadelphia to move up to get Waddle, thus somewhat canceling out the 49ers’ 2022 first-round pick acquired by Miami, at least for purposes of this exercise.
As great as the Tunsil trade was at the time — it’s the gift that keeps on giving — the series of transactions should be considered among the best in Dolphins history only if three or four among Waddle, Holland, Kindley, Igbinoghene and the future draft picks (via San Francisco) become above clearly average starters or two become perennial Pro Bowl-type players.
If four, five or all six become quality starters, then this series of transactions would be atop any testimonial to Dolphins general manager Chris Grier’s career. But the picks need to deliver.
▪ Factoring in subsequent trades, here was the final result of the Dolphins/Eagles/49ers trades involving picks 3, 6 and 12:
The Dolphins ended up getting Waddle and the Steelers’ 2022 fourth-rounder and those three 49ers picks (a first in 2022, a first in 2023 and one after the third round in 2022).
The Eagles ended up with DeVonta Smith, fourth-round Texas Tech cornerback Zech McPherson and Miami’s 2022 first-rounder, while dealing a third-rounder to the Giants.
The 49ers got Trey Lance.
From the Dolphins’ perspective, the wisdom of the Eagles trade — with Miami moving up from 12 to 6 — will come down to two factors:
How good is Waddle, compared with Kyle Pitts (who went fourth) and Ja’Marr Chase (fifth)?
And how high (or low) will be the Dolphins’ 2022 first-round pick that’s heading to the Eagles, compared with the 49ers’ 2022 first-round pick that the Dolphins are getting?
Waddle needs to be very good for this second trade (the Eagles/Dolphins one) to be considered a success. If Waddle is average and the Dolphins have an Eagles-bound top 10 pick in 2022 and if Pitts becomes a Hall of Famer, the Eagles/Dolphins transaction will rank among the worst in Dolphins history. But if Waddle is great and the Dolphins’ 2022 first round pick going to Philadelphia is in the 20s, Miami can look back on these 3/6/12 transactions very favorably.
The Dolphins gambled that the 49ers first-round pick they acquired in 2022 will be better than their own 2022 first-round pick now owned by the Eagles.
At least part of the Dolphins’ success in future years will depend on how good three young quarterbacks will be: Zach Wilson with the Jets, Mac Jones with the Patriots and Lance with the 49ers (considering Miami owns the 49ers’ first-rounders in 2022 and 2023).
▪ Undrafted rookie Carl Tucker, listed by the Dolphins as a fullback, was a receiver in high school, then became a tight end at North Carolina, and was used as a tight end and extra blocker and fullback at Alabama last season.
He developed his toughness at North Carolina, when the tight ends coach “got on me the whole meeting” during his first week there “and I told myself I would never be soft ever again.”
▪ Seventh-round offensive tackle Larnel Coleman said he’s working on both sides of the offensive line. He played left tackle last season at Massachusetts but said flipping sides has “never been too difficult for me.” The Dolphins want to see him at right tackle.
▪ Where some 2020 Dolphins have ended up: quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and safety Bobby McCain and guard Ereck Flowers in Washington; left tackle Julien Davenport in Indianapolis; center Ted Karras and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux and linebacker Kyle Van Noy in New England; Shaq Lawson in Houston; running back Matt Breida and punter Matt Haack in Buffalo; Kamu Grugier-Hill in Houston; running back Jordan Howard in Philadephia; and cornerback Tae Hayes with Arizona.
Among those who remain unsigned: fullback Chandler Cox, safety Kavon Frazier, receiver Isaiah Ford and running back DeAndre Washington.
▪ Oddest moment from rookie minicamp Zoom sessions this past week was Waddle’s response to a question about whether he’s named after former NBA player Jalen Rose:
“My mom did name me after Jalen Rose,” Waddle said. “I don’t know how you knew that. That’s kind of weird.”
Jaelan Phillips also was reportedly named after Jalen Rose and some people — include Waddle — call him JP.
Here’s my Tuesday Heat piece with a scout analyzing the Heat-Bucks series.
Here’s my Tuesday media column with Heat, Hurricanes, NBA and Marlins media news.
This story was originally published May 18, 2021 at 5:09 PM.
