Finsmob Unleashed

As an avid Miami Dolphins fan, I’m well aware that this team has a few holes that need to be filled in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. The biggest holes in my estimation reside on the O-line and the D-line, with CB and S as priority 3 and 4 respectively. There’s no way to spin this other than to admit that having a substantial O-line is top priority. Right behind that, thanks to the re-signing of NT Benito Jones, DT/DE is priority #2. The CB spot opposite Jalen Ramsey currently is a competition between UDFA CB Storm Duck, 2023 NFL Draft 2nd RD #51 CB Cam Smith and CB Isaiah Johnson who was signed to a futures contract in January of this year. This particular draft may be deeper on the D-line and O-line than at CB, so I would be amenable to drafting O-line first, CB second, and then DE/DT third if they feel there are a few players in 3rd and 4th RD that can help us. There is still a window open for DE/DT Calais Campbell to return at age 39.

As I have stated here quite a few times before, getting this offense back to elite, or near elite is a must. I don’t think our defense is capable of being a top 5 unit unless Grier hits so well on a few draft picks, but that would be the anomaly, not the norm, to expect that is foolish. The offense however, with talented WR’s Tyreek Hill (If he’s not traded, I’ll get to that later), Jaylen Waddle, TE Jonnu Smith, and then explosive chunk running game led by RB De’Von Achane, Jaylen Wright who will finally have the training wheels off, and newly acquired RB Alexander Mattison. Achane is a dangerous player every time he’s on the field, both rushing and receiving. Of course, and most importantly, we need the O-line to give him space. No, the O-line is not just a wall to protect “The Frajeel”, but it can be a weapon if this O-line can open up holes and give Achane and Wright running lanes. That will force defense to play and respect our running game if we continue to gash them with big chunk rushes and short passes to Achane.

I’ll also add that I’ll concede that Grier and MM will be drafting for 2025, and not so much for beyond, much in the same vein as they have already constructed the roster, a lot of short contracts, mostly 1-year deals to get us through ’25 and hopefully compete in the playoffs. Now that doesn’t mean I want them to trade up and use future picks, I would hate that actually, especially since it may be a different GM and HC that will be doing the drafting in 2026 if Grier’s “Project 2025” fails. As I’ve mentioned so many times, be responsible stewards of the franchise, don’t restructure bad contracts and don’t trade away future assets just to keep your job. That’s a very fair request, considering Grier has been here nearly 2 decades, and as for HC Mike McDaniel, there is a possibility that ownership may let him stay on as long as the GM they hire okays that. I’d prefer both to be gone, but I’m not going to get ahead of myself here.

Rumors have swirled about the Dolphins potentially trading WR Tyreek Hill. Doing so would probably hurt our chances short term to making a deep run into the playoffs, he’s our most talented offensive player, or at least he was. I actually think the offense could still thrive with Waddle, Westbrook-Ikhine and Malik Washington, along with TE Jonnu Smith, maybe another drafted TE or WR, and of course De’Von Achane. I don’t really know what type of compensation we’d get back for Tyreek Hill, but I would think a minimum of a 2nd RD pick and maybe more, and if that pick or picks were in this draft, it would give us more flexibility in acquiring the many needs we have. I would do it if we could get an early 2nd RD pick minimum and maybe a 5th RD pick in addition. A 1st RD pick alone would be acceptable as well. I will be surprised if it happens, but despite showing some remorse for his actions in the season finale, pulling himself out of the game without really communicating why, and then telling the whole world “He’s out”. Personally, unless the leaders of this team, whomever they are vote that they want Tyreek Hill to be a captain again, I don’t see how he can be named captain after what he did.

If we stay put at #13, who are the likely prospects to be available? No one really knows, but there should be at least one of the following 3 OL I’d love to have still there at #13. OT/OG Armand Membou may be the least likely, followed by OT/OG Will Campbell and then finally OT/OG Kelvin Banks. Membou would be my selection and I’d be thrilled to run to the podium with that pick if he were still there, but I strongly believe we should take one of these players if they’re still there when we pick. Going to our 2nd RD pick, it gets a little tougher to project who will last that far, but there a few guys that could probably help us right away at DE/DT. DT/DE Kenneth Grant, DT/DE Tyleik Williams, DT/DE Alfred Williams, and DT/DE Shemar Turner. Again, no chance all of these guys are there, but hopefully one of them is still available.

Next priority, at least in my estimation is CB. We have to find a player who can start immediately opposite CB Jalen Ramsey. If we’re choosing a CB in RD 3, it gets even more difficult to project who will be available, you’re likely not getting one of the top 10 prospects at the CB position if you wait until RD 3, but I’ll do my best to give you some choices here. CB Darien Porter, who ran a blistering 4.3 at the combine but didn’t really show well on his gameplay tape could be available. He has very little game experience as he didn’t start at CB until his 6th year (no typo!) at Iowa St. This would be a huge gamble, but he has the physical tools to be a legit player, but as I mentioned he has only 1 year as a starter. Notre Dame CB Benjamin Morrison is a possibility, another very athletic player here. California CB Nohl Williams had some nice game production, 14 INT’s (7 in ’25) in his 5 year career at California. No saying whether a guy with that type of production makes it to RD 3, but who knows?

Safety would probably be next, and I’m going to bother trying to figure out when and where we address that position. We did pick up FS Ashtyn Davis, who could conceivably start and so might SS Ifeatu Melifonwu. Both have started some games, but neither was a regular starter this past season. Davis has 22 career starts in his 5 year career, just 1 last season, while Melifonwu has 14 career starts in his 4 year career with 3 starts last season. When you spend bottom dollar, this is pretty much what you end up with. There may be a veteran option that becomes available after the draft, and that can happen at a number of positions, like DT/DE, OL, CB and S. We still have some cap space, and we can always make moves to free up space like cutting players, and we’ll probably do some of that as well.

In summation, we just have to have a very successful draft, there’s no two ways about it. We’re going to need legit starters at a few important positions, and if you look at Grier’s draft record, it’s unlikely for that to occur. Trading Tyreek Hill and adding a high pick could really help, while of course taking away a little firepower for the offense. I’d do it regardless, I’d rather be more well rounded and be able to choose another top prospect at a position other than WR to help our team. That being said, I’m kind of doubtful we pull a trade off for Tyreek Hill. So we all just to have sit back and watch it unfold, and hope that just this once, Grier has an amazing draft and our team will be in the race for a AFC East title, knowing Buffalo as long as Josh Allen is playing has a huge leg up on us, and the New England Patriots made some great strides with their roster talent and QB Drake Maye has a year of experience under his belt and should improve with a better all around team.

GO DOLPHINS!!!