Let The Rumors Begin

Let The Rumors Begin

With less than a week before the NFL Draft starts on Thursday, there are going to be a lot of rumors flying around about what teams will do, trade up or down, or make player trades. There will be no shortage of that with the Miami Dolphins as new GM Jon Eric Sullivan begins his first-ever draft with final say. He has already restructured the roster by getting rid of bloated contracts and making trades to acquire more picks. 

Sully has been on record to say that he would more likely trade down than up for the chance to get more picks, as the roster is going to be much younger than the last few years. There will be questions about players on the roster entering the final years of their contracts, such as Aaron Brewer, Jordyn Brooks, and De’Von Achane, who Sully said will not trade. 

What Sully is really saying is I’m not going to trade with anyone unless someone calls and gives him an offer that he can’t refuse. I do believe that Sully wants to re-sign these players, but I don’t know how far he is willing to go to get a new deal done.  

In the case of Achane, he is looking to cash in on the last year of his contract and his first big payday and would like to be paid like one of the better running backs in the league, with over $30 million guaranteed and an annual salary of well over $10 million per year.

Achane is just scratching the surface with his potential, but he plays a position that a lot of people devalue because of the wear and tear of the running back position. However, the position has seen a resurgence with players like Saquon Barkley and James Cook getting new deals in recent years. There are also running backs, such as Bijan Robinson and Jonathon Taylor, who will hit the market in the next year or two, so it’s possible the price could go up, but is Sully going to try to get ahead of the curve?

That is the question. Achane will probably do a hold in at camp and not participate, and I can’t blame him. Would Sully be willing to play hardball, and what type of offer would be too good to refuse? Probably a 1st round pick and more, but who is willing to do that deal on top of giving a new contract? Probably no one, but this will float out there as Achane is the most valuable asset on the roster. 

Brooks and Brewer are in the final years of their contracts after signing with the Dolphins as free agents in 2024, and they have outperformed their current deals and are looking for one more big payday. They are both not 30 years old yet, and the question is, will Sully want to invest money in two guys about to enter their 30s when players typically wear down?

That I don’t know. I don’t think the Dolphins could get anything of value for a center, and the Dolphins need to keep the interior line together, but the price for a center continues to skyrocket to over $20 million annually. Brooks could be had for a 3rd-round pick, maybe, but is anyone willing to give up the pick and a new deal? 

These guys will be mentioned in possible deals. 

Then what will the Dolphins do with their picks, whether they trade up or down, and what could they get in return in a trade down, or what player would they go up for? I think teams know the Dolphins will most likely trade down and might look to help them depending on where the pick is. The question is: what would it take for Sully to move down, especially in the 1st round?

I wouldn’t get too cute if I were Sully. I remember in 2010, the Dolphins had the 10th pick in the draft, had just traded their 2nd-round pick before the draft for Brandon Marshall, and were hell-bent on getting a 2nd-round pick. The problem is they traded from 10 to the mid-20s and missed out on some good players, such as Jason Pierre-Paul, Earl Thomas, and others. While the Dolphins got a 2nd-round pick, which they wanted, they missed on some quality players.  

I hope the Dolphins stay at 11 and get a quality player and do not get too cute. I like trading down, but in this case, the Dolphins need playmakers on both sides of the ball. I’m looking forward to the draft like every year, and this year we are going to see a lot of the players picked on the field right away. I just hope the Dolphins make the right moves with the new regime and keep their options open.