Miami Dolphins trades with Detroit Lions were not very good

The Miami Dolphins made three trades with the Detroit Lions that should not have made.

Sometimes when you swing for the fence, you strike out and for the Miami Dolphins, there were three strikes in trades with the Lions.

In 2007, the Dolphins needed to fix their quarterback position. It had been an ongoing problem since Dan Marino left and would continue to be a problem for years to come. In fact, if we are being honest, today we are still trying to replace Marino with a legit franchise quarterback. Fans are praying that Tua Tagovailoa can be that guy.

One guy who wasn’t, “that guy” was Joey Harrington and in 2007 the Dolphins made a move to get him from the Lions. The Lions had drafted Harrington 3rd overall in the 2002 NFL Draft and was supposed to be their long term solution but eventually, he couldn’t keep his job.

The Dolphins sent a 5th round pick to the Lions for Harrington who would replace Daunte Culpepper after a shoulder injury in 2007. Harrington would lead Miami to a 5-6 record. He completed 60% of his passes and threw 7 touchdowns against 8 interceptions. Harrington played one more season in the NFL with the Falcons and then headed to the broadcast booth.

In consecutive seasons, 1998 to 1999, the Dolphins made big moves with the Lions and not a single one worked out for the Dolphins.

In 1998, the Dolphins sent a 2nd round pick to the Lions for a 3rd, 5th, and 6th. You would think that gaining three draft picks in a trade would work out, at least one of them anyway. Not the case.

Miami drafted linebacker Brad Jackson who spent four years in the NFL but not a single season with Miami. They drafted guard Scott Shaw who spent one season with Miami, his only NFL season, and QB John Dutton who didn’t make the team and never played in the league.

The Lions used that 2nd round pick from Miami to draft QB Charlie Batch.

A year later the Dolphins tried again to make a move with Detroit. This time they sent a first-round draft pick to the Lions for a 2nd, 3rd, and 5th.

Miami used the 2nd round pick on J.J. Johnson who spent three seasons with Miami. The 5th round pick was used on a linebacker, Bryan Jones. Jones did not make the team and did not play in the NFL. The 3rd round pick was traded back to the Lions.

Miami moved down two spots from 70 to 72 and picked up an extra 7th round pick. They used the 72nd overall pick (3rd round) on Grey Ruegamer. Ruegamer would not make the Dolphins but would play nine seasons with three different teams starting only a handful of games.

The 7th round pick was used on DT Jermain Haley.

Overall, the Dolphins whirlwind of trades for those two drafts netted them basically nothing.