Adam Schefter's latest report doesn't bode well for Dolphins' rebuild

It isn't easy to rebuild a football franchise. That is exactly what Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has tasked Jon-Eric Sullivan with doing. NFL teams don't typically turnover their executives unless the losing is so bad it can't be avoided.

In Miami, it was deeper than losing. It was about defining a franchise. Chris Grier didn't lose his job because he was horrible at drafting quality players, or because he couldn't manage the salary cap, or because he couldn't keep his draft picks four years later. It was all of it, and that is what Sullivan has to fix.

His path to doing so may not get off to a great start if Adam Schefter's latest report about the draft and free agency comes to fruition.

Miami Dolphins face an uphill battle that is out of their free agency and draft control

Sullivan is taking over an NFL team that is in cap hell. That makes adding free agents problematic. He has eight draft picks to work with. Normally, that would be a great kick-off to start your career, but as Schefter points out, this isn't considered a good draft class.

"With teams considering the upcoming free-agent and draft classes to be subpar, there could be an uptick in trade activity this off-season."

Adam Schefter

This is important for a number of reasons. One, Miami will have a limited number of quality players to find in free agency. The cap situation will be prohibitive, but at the same time, teams with money to spend will drive up costs for a group of free agents who may not necessarily warrant that kind of money.

So Sullivan heads to the draft to build his roster instead. On the surface, again, it's a great idea and something they have stressed they want to do. If the class is as mediocre as some have predicted, teams will not want to trade down. That eliminates an option for Sullivan to gain more draft capital.

Aside from a handful of players at the top of the draft, no one is seeing repetitive predictions for top talent. Teams are going to want to trade out of their selections rather than gamble on overpaying an average player.

Sullivan prides himself on being a good evaluator of talent. He will need to lean on that if he hopes to find a player who will contribute.

Schefter also says that, as a result of the FA and draft being "subpar," there will be more trades made. Dolphins fans don't want to hear it, but they have assets that could be traded for more than they are worth. That is the good news for Sullivan, provided he can swing deals.

Jaylen Waddle and De'Von Achane are viewed as untouchable, but if the market isn't good, the best players that might be available could bring Sullivan future draft picks in a class that is better than "subpar."

If trades do become more prevalent this offseason, that may bode well for Sullivan's attempt to trade Tua Tagovailoa as well. No one is convinced there is an undeniable starter in this year's draft class outside of Fernando Mendoza, but it's still unlikely.