Miami Dolphins will need to trade for Yannick Ngakoue if they want him

The Miami Dolphins have kept things pretty close to their chest in terms of their free agent and draft thoughts but one potential FA is getting tagged.

Up North on I-95, the Miami Dolphins in-state rivals, the Jacksonville Jaguars, reportedly will use the franchise tag to hold on to top edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue. If the Dolphins wanted or still want him, they will need to trade with the Jaguars.

Jacksonville is holding out for draft pick compensation. Ngakoue has recently made public a desire to leave the Jaguars and some believe that he will not sign his tender and will not work out a long-term contract. If this is true, Ngakoue’s leverage could be enough to lower the asking price that the Jaguars may be wanting.

Jacksonville’s asking price will be at minimum a first-round draft pick but it remains to be seen if they can get that type of comp for him given the fact he wants a long-term deal that will likely fall in the top 2 percent at his position.

The Dolphins need an edge rusher in a bad way. Their top choices are Charles Harris, Jonathan Ledbetter, and Taco Charlton, none of whom are in the team’s long-term plans, especially Harris.

The Dolphins have the draft picks if they want to move one and honestly, if Chris Grier could get Ngakoue for a 2nd round pick, he would steal a top player off another team. The Jaguars could have let him walk and likely would have received a third-round comp pick in return so the asking price may start with a one and end with a two and another mid-round draft pick.

Miami could potentially have 14 draft picks in this year’s draft and they are not likely going to select 14 players in April so moving them for top players at positions of need would be smartly provided that those picks are expendable. Miami still is expected to make a move early in round one to potentially land a starting QB which could eat into that draft selection pool.