Dolphin Draft 2015 - Update #4

Now that I have gone through a lot of discussion on needs and potential draft picks, now comes the time where some creative decisions are going to have to be made.

One of the biggest problems the Dolphin has is that it has too many holes to file and not enough draft picks to do it with.  There is just so much that free agency will bring you, and unless something really unique comes up, the Dolphins should wait until after the draft to consider them.  The second and possibly third tier of free agents will develop and if you can't plug the hole from the draft, then you look at what is left from free agents.

Already the Dolphins have either said, or implied that #1 they are looking to create more draft picks and #2 that they have several free agents in mind but are not in a rush to sign any of them.

So how can the Dolphins create more draft picks?  You trade down.

The most valuable pick is of course first rounders.  The Dolphins have the 14th pick which is valued at 1100 points on the commonly used Trade Value Chart.  While the 14th pick will get you a top value, they don't always work out.  If you can get someone from the bottom of the 1st round that will do just as well (if not better), then trading down to get more picks makes sense.

The trick is what do you get for a 14th pick?  That depends upon what you are looking to get.  If you could trade down and pick up 500 points, that would be equivalent to about a 2nd round 23rd pick and a 3rd round 24th pick.  The problem is you need someone to dance with and they have to have the cards to give you that value.

One example, among many, is looking at the New Orleans Saints.  They have the 31st pick in the first round.  That pick is worth a difference of 500 value points .  But then, what could they give up?  You start with their pick in the 2nd round, the 12th pick, which is worth 460 points and that's pretty close, so it could work.   A lot will depend upon if there is someone they really want at 14 that they won't get at 31st.

Another example, with trading for Green Bay at their 30th pick in the 1st round.  The difference in value is 480.  If they also gave their 30th picks in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th round (not sure they would ever go with that, but maybe a 5th rounder instead of a 4th rounder), that would equal 455.  Still short of full value, but it would be worth it for 3 extra picks in the draft.

I am sure the Dolphins are looking at all sorts of possibilities, and I think that a 1st round trade is highly likely.  So stay tuned and we'll see where this goes.