There have been reports that Chris Grier has been working the phones to try and make a deal the last three weeks with the hopes of getting the right pieces to make a turnaround to the Miami Dolphins season.
So far, that hasn't happened, but the NFL trade deadline will arrive at 4:00 p.m. EST, so if there is going to be some last-minute action, it has to start now. Miami has made it clear they have no intention of being sellers at the deadline. That is a mistake.
On Monday, Mike McDaniel confirmed that he and Grier believe this team is talented enough to turn the season around and make a run for the postseason. That might be the case, but is the coaching good enough to get them there? Do they have enough depth to weather any unforeseen injuries on the path to making it happen?
Those are questions that will play out over the next nine weeks, but if the Dolphins are going to do anything, these last-minute moves might be smart.
Last-minute deals the Miami Dolphins must make before Tuesday's NFL trade deadline
1. No matter what the Dolphins think trading a running back makes sense
Miami doesn't need Jeff Wilson riding the inactive list any more than they need Raheem Mostert fumbling the football. What they do need is a draft pick in 2025 and run the rest of the season with Jaylen Wright backing up De'Von Achane and either Wilson or Mostert as the third running back.
The Dolphins' deepest position is running back, so they need to use that to add to the coffers of 2025 and perhaps give themselves an opportunity to fill a hole or two next year.
2. Jevon Holland is good enough to get a big paycheck, but he won't get the Dolphins a high-comp pick
Miami has too many holes to fill to get a comp pick if they lose Jevon Holland in free agency next year. They should explore options to move him. This isn't the first time we have seen this discussed.
Holland will command a salary that should be too much for the Dolphins to meet. That is common sense because Grier can ill-afford to overpay another player who has injury issues and has yet to take the steps forward toward being elite.
Moving him now does not change Miami's chances of winning football games, but they could acquire something for the future.
3. Defensive edge help is imperative if Grier is going to help the Dolphins
The Dolphins could have given up a sixth-round pick for Baron Browning, who was traded by the Denver Broncos on Monday.
Browning was lost on Denver's depth chart but is productive off the edge and would have improved Miami's defense. The Broncos also need running back help, so the Dolphins could have potentially swung a deal that wouldn't have included a draft pick.
Clearly, this is Miami's biggest need. Grier won't pay for a guard, and that is okay. He made that bed, and they are playing well right now, so they need to ride it out and see what happens.
Of all the positions on the Dolphins roster, defensive end is the most glaring hole that needs to be addressed. Linebacker would be next and maybe help in the secondary, but Miami is in one of those positions where there isn't much for them to do without risking their future.
Trading for a top-edge rusher makes no sense, given their salary situation and cost, so a guy like Browning would have been ideal. That is the kind of player the Dolphins need to bring to the team if they are not going to send anyone out.