Chris Grier makes interesting comment regarding Dolphins' first round pick

The Miami Dolphins season ended on Saturday night against the Kansas City Chiefs in a 26-7 loss.  With a promising season having ended, Miami fans can only turn their attention to what the team can do in the offseason to ensure 2024 has a far better ending.  

For the first time since 2021, Miami actually has their first-round draft pick that they can turn the card in for on draft day.  The Dolphins turned two of those into Jaylen Waddle and Jaelan Phillips in 2021.  Not too shabby. However, they parted with first round picks via trade in 2022 and 2023 and forfeited another 2023 first rounder due to violations stemming from the Tom Brady/Sean Payton tampering investigation.

Miami holds the 21st pick in the 2024 NFL Draft after losing to Kansas City.  That's not a great spot to be in, but it's better than if they had won on Saturday and lost in the divisional round.  

Still, the Dolphins hold picks in the first, second, fifth, sixth (two) and seventh round.  What might they do?  Miami GM Chris Grier wasn't committed when asked about whether he will use the first round pick the team currently holds. 

“Can’t promise anything, but we’ll see. (laughter) We’ve had a couple draft meetings with the scouts and they’ll be coming back in February and we’ll hit that hard before we go to Indianapolis. But also if there’s an opportunity that we feel can help our roster and it makes sense and most of the guys we’ve traded for have been in an age bracket, too, that makes sense for us to do that if you’re going to move a pick like that. So we’re always open to listening if people want to contact us, as well. I know [Mike McDaniel] wants a first-round pick bad.” (laughter)

Grier didn't hesitate at all to make mention of the possibility of using the pick to bolster their roster "if there's an opportunity".  He also talked about trading for guys in an age bracket.  That's something the team was certainly willing to do when it traded for a Tyreek Hill in March 2022.  The Dolphins gave up five draft picks (2022 1st, 2nd, and 4th; 2023 4th and 6th) to acquire their veteran All-Pro wide receiver.  They also traded away their 2023 first rounder when they acquired Bradley Chubb from Denver in November 2022. 

However, money and picks are still a problem to make a trade this offseason.  Miami doesn't have the ability to take on much a big salary of a veteran via trade- at least not until they get their cap number in far better shape.  They currently sit at over $55 million over the projected 2024 cap total.  When they do get it in shape, they're going to have to work on a number of extensions and free agent signings with their own key players.  

The Dolphins also have no draft picks in the second or third rounds this year, so it would behoove them to consider moving back from pick #21 and try to recoup some day two picks to try to help fortify the roster with solid young talent.  In the event they did stay put in the first round, they would have the valuable fifth-year option to be able to use down the road.  

As such, the intrigue will build over the next three months for the Dolphins.  Free agency will come and go, and Miami will have several questions answered about their own free agents and areas of weakness remaining on their roster.  

We'll also see if Grier shows up to Detroit for the draft with his first-round pick in his pocket this time.