The San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders stole the weekend headlines with a blockbuster trade for Deebo Samuel. The Miami Dolphins should have given this some more thought.
Samuel will count $21 million against the salary cap in 2025, but the Commanders can find ways to lower that number. They only had to part ways with a fifth-round pick, which is nothing compared to what the Dolphins have thrown away in the past.
To put it completely into perspective, the Dolphins could have beaten the Commanders' offer and added a familiar chess piece to Mike McDaniel's offense.
No, the Dolphins don't need Samuel any more than they needed Odell Beckham Jr. last year. Malik Washington is a budding star in this offense, but make no mistake, the Dolphins are awfully thin behind Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill.
The addition of Deebo Samuel would have raised a lot of eyebrows, considering the Dolphins' salary cap situation
Dolphins fans would have been upset had the team made this move when they need help in so many other places, but again, Samuel's contract will get redone to lower his cap hit.
McDaniel knows Samuel from their time together in San Francisco. A versatile utility receiver, Samuel has the tools to open an offense and create issues for defenses.
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Is Samuel the same player he was a few years ago? Absolutely not, and his injury history is a concern, but Miami has spent more on bigger risks with more compensation in previous trades.
It is probably a good thing the Dolphins didn't invest in another receiver when they are already cap-heavy at the position, but it is also hard not to look at a fifth-round return and wonder if they could've made it work.
The Dolphins might have made the right call, but they missed the chance to land a proven difference-maker for only a fifth-round pick.