Miami Dolphins draft: Team needs immediately before and after pick 51 and why it matters
By Brian Miller
The NFL Draft is a week away, free agency is practically dead in the water and teams are now focusing on their internal needs. Here are the team needs for each NFL franchise and why that matters to the Miami Dolphins.
Like all NFL teams, the Miami Dolphins will have an idea of what other teams around the league may be looking for and that helps them gain an advantage in moving up or down depending on how the draft falls. In many cases, knowing what another team needs and then gauging the priority of those needs, helps general managers or whoever is making the draft picks, have an idea on where a team may go.
Players on the other hand are an entirely different bird. While one team may be high on a specific player at a position another team may not have that player ranked as high so a general manager, like Chris Grier has to balance both sides of that coin and make a decision when it comes to moving up or down. This is why many teams simply stay put despite getting offers.
Miami won't need to deal with this until the middle of the 2nd round as they won't draft until 51 but they could see a trend develop in front of them and knowing what other needs are for teams could determine whether or not he feels the need to move up and ensure the guy he wants is drafted.
The needs of the five teams in front and behind the Miami Dolphins at 51.
1. 46: New England Patriots
- WR, DL, CB, Edge, OL, LB
2. 47: Washington Commanders
- OL, Edge, TE, CB, OT
3. 48: Detroit Lions
- Edge, DL, QB, OL, CB, TE
4. 49: Pittsburgh Steelers
- DL, LB, CB, OL, S, WR, LB
5. 50: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- QB, CB, S, Edge, RB, OL, LB
It will be interesting to see what happens in the five picks in front of the Dolphins. The reason is that only one of those teams, the Lions, need a tight end but even that need isn't a huge one to the point they likely draft one in round two despite having two first round selections.
The need for edge rushers is big in front of Miami so if a player the Dolphins like at TE falls within five selections, Miami has a good shot of landing one unless a team behind them trades up. If the Dolphins are targeting offensive line, it might be a little harder to see a player they want, fall as several of those five teams need offensive line help.
If the Dolphins do attempt to move up, keep an eye on WR needy teams. The Dolphins could package a draft pick with Cedrick Wilson, Jr. to make it happen if the jump isn't considered too far.
The five teams picking below the Dolphins could move ahead of the Dolphins should they believe Miami might take the guy they want, or that another team will. Here are the five teams that pick immediately after Miami and thus, have more of a potential to move up.
6. 52: Seattle Seahawks
- Edge, QB, LB, S, WR, TE, DL
7. 53: Chicago Bears
- OT, Edge, DL, RB, LB, CB, OL
8. 54: Los Angeles Chargers
- TE, DL, RB, S, OL, LB, S
9. 55: Detroit Lions
- Edge, DL, QB, OL, CB, TE
10. 56: Jacksonville Jaguars
Edge, OT, OL, TE
Both the Chargers and the Jaguars have needs at TE and that could lead one or both of them to try and move ahead of the Dolphins. If the Dolphins truly want to draft a tight end, the Chargers might be the bigger threat as the need for a TE is greater than the Jaguars this year.
The Lions are an interesting trade partner in this 11 slot grouping that includes the Dolphins at 51. They have two selections, one in the five before and one in the five after Miami selects. The Lions are a likely trade partner at 48 because they won't draft too far back assuming one of the teams behing Miami in the next five slots are the team offering up the trade.
Here are the primary and secondary team needs compiled from various draft sites for the rest of the NFL franchises.
Team | Primary needs | Other needs |
|---|---|---|
Cardinals | Edge, Corner | WR, RB |
Falcons | Edge, Corner | WR, RB |
Ravens | WR, Edge, | CB, QB, DL |
Bills | Oline, WR, | Edge, LB |
Panthers | QB, WR | Edge, RB, Oline |
Bengals | TE, CB, S | RB, Oline |
Browns | DLine, Edge | LB, TE |
Cowboys | Oline, RB, | Dline, WR, TE, Edge |
Packers | TE, WR, | Edge, OL, DL |
Texans | QB, Edge | WR, OT |
Colts | QB, OL, CB | Edge, WR |
Chiefs | WR, OL | Edge, DL |
Raiders | TE, Edge, OL | QB, CB, DL |
Rams | OL, CB, Edge | QB, WR, RB, TE |
Vikings | WR | CB, QB, OL, DL |
Saints | Edge, | DL, WR, QB |
Giants | WR, OL | Edge, LB, S, CB |
Jets | OL, QB (maybe) | S, OL, CB, DL |
Eagles | Edge, RB | CB |
49ers | CB, OL | S, WR |
Titans | QB, WR, OL | Edge, LB |
Did Marvin Allen tip his hand at TE? . dark. Next
The Miami Dolphins played their roster well last year and avoided a need for edge rushers in this year's draft. Most of the NFL teams are in need of edge help this year and the class isn't considered overly deep which means many teams will be reaching for players. This is something that could benefit the Dolphins as teams could look to move around them to take an edge player over the deeper TE class.