Miami Dolphins pick watch: Quarterly Texans report

The Houston Texans are making the Dolphins very happy

With four straight wins and Tua Tagovailoa coming along nicely, there is a lot to smile about in Miami these days. Halfway through the season, the Dolphins sit at 5-3 and in control of their own destiny in terms of postseason aspirations. After starting 0-7 in 2019, the Dolphins are 10-7 since then. Head coach Brian Flores has this team playing fast, physical, and pissed off. The present is a lot of fun, but the future looks bright.

Thanks to the Houston Texans, the Miami Dolphins might be able to make the playoffs and still pick in the top ten of both the first and second rounds of the 2021 NFL draft. Houston sent two first rounders and a second rounder for offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Kenny Stills. The Texans currently sit at 2-6 on the season, with both wins coming against the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars.

General ineptitude

The Houston Texans fired head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien after their 0-4 start. They had played some difficult opponents such as the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, but felt that they could punch with those teams had O’Brien not played fast and loose with their talent and draft picks. Star players like Jadeveon Clowney and DeAndre Hopkins were shipped away for pennies on the dollar. On top of that, they grossly overpaid for Tunsil, Randall Cobb, and Brandin Cooks. Without a general manager at the deadline, Houston was unable to ship out veterans and recoup some draft capital. The Texans have no future, and the Dolphins are capitalizing on it.

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How do the Dolphins capitalize

The Texans first rounder is the crown jewel of the Dolphins arsenal. Some members of the national media have reported that they pick may be used on a quarterback. They have cited 2020 being a “Ten game audition” for rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. That is absolute nonsense. The Miami Dolphins are not giving up on the fifth pick in the draft after ten games. He would need to be Josh Rosen level bad for them to even consider it. Now, an actual player Miami would consider taking is Micah Parsons, an unbelievable linebacker prospect from Penn State. Parsons opted out of the season, meaning his sophomore tape is all we have to go on before the combine and pro days. He is one of the best defensive prospects in recent memory and is a glove like fit in the Dolphins defense.

With the Texans early second round pick, the Dolphins should be looking to add a second tight end. The Dolphins run a lot of “12 personnel” packages and often take Mike Gesicki off the field in some “11 personnel” packages. Gesicki does not offer much as a blocker, and the Dolphins should be looking at Pat Freiermuth, also out of Penn State. The Dolphins recently extended Adam Shaheen, but his contract is very team friendly. This duo of Penn State picks courtesy of the Houston Texans should set up the Dolphins nicely for the future.

Upcoming quarter

Through two quarters of the 2020 season, the Houston Texans are 2-6 and things may get a whole lot worse before they can get any better. The next four games for the Texans are on the road against the 5-3 Cleveland Browns, at home versus the 3-5 New England Patriots, Thanksgiving day in Detroit, and home for the division rival Indianapolis Colts. After those games, Houston may be 3-9 or 4-8.