Why the Miami Dolphins are likely stuck with their 4 draft picks next month

The Miami Dolphins have only four draft picks in this year’s draft and that isn’t likely to change despite many fans thinking it will.

Miami’s chances of increasing its draft pool are exceptionally slim. Why? The simplest answer is the truth. They don’t have any tradeable assets this year and chances are they won’t next year either.

Miami has three ways to increase its draft pool next month and none of them are ideal.

• Trade Christian Wilkins
• Trade their 2nd round pick for more picks
• Trade future draft picks for picks this year

To address the first of those three, the Dolphins’ best and probably only tradeable asset is Wilkins and fans almost universally agree that he should be extended, not traded.

Chris Grier and Vic Fangio need to decide where they see Wilkins on this roster moving forward. If they absolutely want him in Miami then they should start negotiations on an extension soon if they haven’t already.

Wilkins is an incredible talent that is well-liked in the locker room but the Dolphins will need to decide where his salary fits into their future. The Dolphins also have to make decisions on Zach Sieler and Raekwon Davis who both are free agents after this season.

Both could potentially bring in a trade option but the Dolphins would be much thinner at the position.

Why is no one else? 

For starters, the top choices would be Cedrick Wilson, Jr., Emmanuel Ogbah, and Jerome Baker but each of them has production and/or consistency issues and then is saddled with horrible contracts. Miami would have to eat those deals to facilitate a worthy trade offer and that isn’t likely going to happen for any of those three.

Option number two could potentially bring in another draft pick.

The Dolphins could drop down from their first pick in the draft, selection 51 in round two. By trading out of the second entirely, they could add another third-round selection and maybe a sixth or another pick a year from now.

Given the fact Miami is limited this year in draft picks, their best option would be to stay put and take the best player they can get at 51 or drop later into round two and add a mid-round selection.

Option number three is possible but more likely to bring in a veteran.

The Dolphins have traded a first-round draft pick for a veteran player twice in the last season. They moved their first last year for Tyreek Hill and then moved this year’s first to Denver for Bradley Chubb.

Maybe Grier has no interest in keeping a 1st next season and moves it on draft day but it wouldn’t be smart.

No more Laremy Tunsils on this roster.

The Laremy Tunsil trade was exceptional and also extremely rare. Miami wouldn’t be able to get that haul if they opted to trade Tua Tagovailoa. No other player on Miami’s roster is close to being that good to make a team jump in and trade first-round picks unless you are talking about trading someone like Jaylen Waddle or Tyreek Hill.

On draft day, the Dolphins are likely going to have to hold their cards in place. Maybe they work out a deal and trade a player while eating a big chunk of that player’s contract.

One thing is for certain, if Chris Grier finds a way to add more draft picks before or during the draft, then any doubters need to get off the fence but I wouldn’t expect much this year.