It feels like the riches never end for the Miami Dolphins. In 2020, the Dolphins were armed with almost endless cap space and six picks in the top 70. They used those assets to turn an embarrassing 5-11 team into a 10-6 group that was fighting for a playoff spot in week 17. Now it’s 2021 and Miami’s assets are far from used up.
The Dolphins still have their own draft picks to pair with the third and 36th picks courtesy of the Laremy Tunsil trade with the Houston Texans. The Dolphins were always likely to trade back from third overall, but this week’s Matthew Stafford news adds a new team into the quarterback market, making the third pick even more valuable. A trade back could land them an extra first rounder next year, making 2022 a third straight year with multiple first round picks.
However, the third overall pick is only the first of the Dolphins first rounders. They also have the 18th overall pick, which is their own. It is widely expected that a receiver will be taken with the first of the two draft picks, leaving pick 18 widely open to take the best player available at a multitude of positions.
Looking at Dolphins team needs
While the Dolphins are a much better football team than the 2019 version, there is still no shortage of needs on this team. The Dolphins have the opportunity to add to the offensive line, rebuild the receiver room, add a pass rusher, or add more affordable options at safety. Pick 18 is truly wide open for this team.