Dolphins: 3 options with 3rd overall pick in 2021 NFL Draft

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Dolphins target Deshaun Watson. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Trade the pick

It’s the story that just won’t go away. By now, you’ve all heard the rumblings of Deshaun Watson’s unhappiness with the Houston Texans. You’ve probably also heard that, reportedly, his preferred trade destination is the Miami Dolphins.

On the surface — at least to some — it seems like a match made in heaven. Watson is already one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. The Dolphins have been starved for a star quarterback since Dan Marino retired. Miami is one of the few teams with the draft capital to make it happen. Seems like a no-brainer, right?

Well, that entirely depends on what the Texans actual asking price for the star quarterback is. If you listen to folks on Twitter (I would strongly advise against it), Watson could be had for Tua, another first, and a second.

However, if you listen to Ben Allbright of Pro Football Network, the price is significantly higher. Perhaps even prohibitively so. Here’s what Allbright laid out as the baseline for the Watson conversation:

"“This same source told me they weren’t trading Deshaun Watson at all. I pressed that person for a hypothetical. Hypothetically, what would it take to move Deshaun Watson in a vacuum? He said it would take three firsts, three seconds, and a Pro Bowl-caliber player would start the conversation. So the idea that you’re going to get Watson for Tua and a first and something else is laughably ridiculous. It’s not happening. You’re not getting Deshaun Watson for less than it cost Jamal Adams. Deshaun Watson would require an absolute boatload to obtain right now. He’s not even on the block, and he has a no-trade clause, so he’d have to waive that.”"

More from With the First Pick

That’s a lot. That’s a WHOLE lot. Miami, at least in theory, does have the capital to pull off a trade of that magnitude. But would they? I don’t think it’s likely. However, what I do think is likely is the Dolphins trading out of the third pick. The Miami Dolphins have a lot of options in the NFL Draft, but I think the one that makes the most sense is moving off of the third pick. Whether you love him or hate him, Tua is the quarterback of the future from everything the Dolphins have said publicly. They at least give the appearance of being settled at the position, which puts them in a great position.

In all likelihood two of Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, or Zach Wilson are going to go 1-2 in the 2021 NFL Draft. There are a number of QB-hungry teams picking after the Dolphins. Any team who wants to ensure they get the remaining quarterback should be on the phone with Miami, ready to make a deal. They know Miami isn’t going to take a QB, but they don’t know who else is on the phone.

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Miami should be able to convince a team somewhere in the 7-12 range that they need to come up to get their guy. A move down would allow the Dolphins to still pick up a difference maker on either side of the ball, while allowing them to gain even more draft capital. It takes two to tango in any draft-day deal, but finding a suitor shouldn’t be difficult.

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