Why Miami Dolphins own 1st round pick in 2023 could be important
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins have two draft picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and they should keep both of them but their own pick could be important.
There has been no talk, speculation, rumor, or anything else that would support theories the Dolphins could jump into the 2022 first round or for that matter, the 2nd round. That doesn’t mean they won’t try.
This is where their draft capital in 2023 would come into play. Miami owns their own first-round pick but they also own the first-round selection that used to belong to the 49ers. Why is that important?
The 49ers were hit pretty hard this year in free agency and of course, they lost Mike McDaniel to the Dolphins. We can’t be sure what kind of hit that will make on the 49er’s offense but the 9’ers are also expected to trade QB Jimmy Garropolo and give the team over to Trey Lance. Add to that missing running backs, and a likely trade of Deebo Samuel during this year’s draft, and the Dolphins could be holding a higher draft pick from San Francisco than their own.
Miami bet on themselves when they made the trade last season with San Francisco that sent their top draft pick at three overall for the 13th and a bevy of draft picks. The 49ers were better than Miami last season coming one game from the Super Bowl. The Dolphins turned that 29th overall pick into Tyreek Hill.
With the draft starting on Thursday, the Dolphins don’t have many holes but if a player should slide unexpectedly into the late first round or second they have the ammunition to pull off a big deal and jump back into the draft.
The question isn’t can the Dolphins move up, it is would they?
Honestly, I don’t think Chris Grier is going to throw any of the 2023 draft picks at a team to move up and Miami doesn’t have any players that would entice a team to move a high second draft pick for. I also believe that if any trades are made, Grier is likely to move the 3rd round pick for a 2023 2nd round pick.
The Dolphins can pretty much do what they want this year but there really isn’t much to get overly excited about. A linebacker would be very interesting but while some fans think the center is more important, the Dolphins passed on several last year when they really needed to fix the position. It would be shocking and borderline mindless to trade up for one this year.
Still, if the Dolphins do want to make a move, the 49’ers pick in 2023 would be the one that the Dolphins should keep in any trade. It is hard to believe that the 49’ers will be top 10 bad in 2023 but with changes at QB, coaching, running back, and possibly receiver, there is potential for a fallout season and the Dolphins should at least expect to draft, at worse, in the mid to upper 20s making their pick the one that should be moved in any trades that likely won’t happen.