The Phins still have their best team-building ammo left to shoot
The Miami Dolphins hit the 2020 Free Agency fast and furious with a whirlwind of signings. Chris Grier needed to be this busy if he wanted to plug all the holes on the roster. But, even though the Phins locked up quite a few new starters, there are plenty of needs left to fill. Still, with over a dozen draft picks, Miami has all the ammo needed to get the job done.
So, with the rush of Free Agency done and the draft around the corner, what’s the Phins’ biggest remaining need?
Most Phins fans are in one of two corners.
Both M.J and I agree the biggest need is a starting-caliber Offensive Tackle. With 3 first-round picks, I’d assume at least one of them would be used on a tackle, especially since this draft is loaded with some top tier tackles. To be honest, I wouldn’t mind Miami doubling down in the first round on two tackles or offensive linemen. At least, the Phins should use two selections in the first two rounds where they have 5 picks available.
Any of these tackles would be worth a pick in the first round:
- Tristan Wirfs, HT 6′ 5″, WT 322 lbs: “11th on PFF Big Board: Wirfs blew up the combine the same way he blew up edge defenders in the Big-10. The scary thing is how much his grade has improved by leaps and bounds since becoming the first-ever freshman to start at tackle for Kirk Ferentz.”
- Andrew Thomas, HT 6′ 5″, WT 315lbs: “8th on PFF Big Board: Thomas has been pass protecting at a high-level in the SEC since he was a true freshman. Now, he’s the highest-graded power-5 tackle in the draft class.”
- Mekhi Becton, HT 6′ 7″, WT 369lbs: “47th on PFF Big Board: Becton is a mountain of an offensive tackle. The good lord only made so many men that large that could move. They tend not to last long in the draft.”
- Jedrick Wills, HT 6′ 4″, WT 312lbs: “9th on PFF Big Board: Wills has the most big-time blocks of any tackle in the draft class. He loves to decleat linebackers and moves like he could be one.”
- Austin Jackson, HT 6′ 5″, WT 319 lbs: “100th on PFF Big Board: Jackson is still a work in progress that got manhandled by all of the top rushers he faced last year. He’s young though with the kind of feet you can’t teach.”
- Josh Jones HT 6′ 5″, WT 319 lbs: “14th on PFF Big Board: Jones has shut down pretty much every defender he’s faced this season whether it was at Houston or at the Senior Bowl. He may be older and less athletic than the other top tackles, but he doesn’t lose.”
Miami must come out of this draft with a starting tackle.
Any of these tackles are a plug and play Day 1 starter for us. There’s no reason for Miami not to land at least one of these players. Hopefully, there won’t be an early run on tackles because one of these could even fall into our lap with the number 40 overall pick.
Despite how I felt early in the year, a QB of the future is Miami’s 2nd most needed position. There has been some talk out there that Miami is one of the top destinations for QB Cam Newton. This isn’t happening. Since his NFL MVP in 2015, Newton has often been injured and hasn’t regained his MVP form. And even if he was able to regain that form, is Miami really looking to invest in another QB that would be nothing more than a quick fix?
Nope!
Drafting a young QB would be plus, but not critical… this year
While anything is possible, Flores & Co. are all in on the Ryan Fitzpatrick train. They will only invest in a young QB prospect either this year or next year’s draft. And I wouldn’t throw Josh Rosen to the wolves just yet either. But, if Miami takes a QB this year, it will most likely be one of the big four: Burrow, Tua, Herbert, or Love.
Like most Phins, I just hope Grier doesn’t end up giving up extra draft capital to secure one of these prospects.
If a quarterback is Miami’s target, the best scenario would be for the Chargers to land Cam Newton. You can bet with the best bookie software solutions that the Chargers are our biggest competition to trade up over us for one of these QBs. Cam going to the Chargers will keep Miami from being ‘forced’ to trade up. Unfortunately, with Tyrod Taylor on the Chargers roster, Cam going to L.A. is a long shot too.
At least, if Miami can stay put at #5, the Phins can still land one of the top tackles… whether they draft a quarterback or not. I guess that would be a win-win for the Phins who want a quarterback and those that want an offensive tackle?!
What are the rest of the Miami Dolphins News fans’ thoughts on what Miami’s biggest remaining needs are?