The first major event of draft season took place over the last week with the new-look Reese’s Senior Bowl having allowed underclassmen to participate for the first time.
Quick aside, maybe it’s time for a name change.
That silliness aside, what matters is that the Miami Dolphins and the rest of the NFL teams got a chance at a first-hand look at some of the top prospects in the 2024 draft.
The next major event on the scouting calendar will be the scouting combine in Indianapolis, to be followed by prospect visits and Pro Days all the way until the actual draft.
And this will be a crucial draft for the Dolphins, and not just because they’ll have a first-round pick for the first time in three years — barring a trade between now and late April.
The Dolphins simply have to nail this draft, more specifically, their picks in the first and second rounds because they need an infusion of young and cheaper talent to supplement all the high-priced stars they’ve brought in over the past couple of years.
Shoot, it even would make sense for the Dolphins to trade down from the 21st overall pick to accumulate more selections.
DOLPHINS NEED TO CREATE CAP BALANCE
It’s no great secret that the Dolphins are doing to have some tough decisions to make this offseason with their personnel and the reason is a delicate cap situation, one that was created when the team decided to go all in and brought in one star player after another — first Tyreek Hill, then Terron Armstead, then Bradley Chubb, then Jalen Ramsey — sacrificing draft capital and cap space in the process.
That approach is why the Dolphins find themselves more than $50 million over the cap heading toward the March 13 start of the 2024 league year, at which time they’ll have to be in compliance.
The acquisition of star players is great in the long run, but it’s not a sustainable model and at some point the roster needs to be replenished with younger, cheaper alternative.
The Los Angeles Rams are a great example of this.
They went all out to make a push for the Super Bowl in 2021 when they acquired QB Matthew Stafford in a trade with the Detroit Lions and their gamble paid off before it was time to rebuild a bit.
After a year out of the playoffs, the Rams were back in the postseason this season and they got there with massive contributions from several of their picks from the last two drafts, starting with All-Pro running back Kyren Williams, Pro Bowl wide receiver Puka Nacua and one of the top defensive rookies in the NFL in 2023, nose tackle Kobie Turner.
The Dolphins got one of those kind of players in the 2023 with running back De’Von Achane, but they need more.
It sure would help if 2022 top pick Channing Tindall could emerge as a starter at linebacker, or at least a valuable backup, and the same certainly could be said for 2023 top pick Cam Smith after his washout rookie season (from a defensive standpoint).
The Dolphins need contributions from young players, particularly with the injury issues with which they’ll head into 2024 — Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips and Connor Williams (if he’s re-signed), to name three.
SO MANY POSITIONS COULD USE HELP
And it says here getting a couple of immediate contributors is much more important in this draft than what position they play.
That’s because the reality is the Dolphins probably could use some help just about everywhere.
The Dolphins appear set at quarterback and running back, but where else on the roster can we say the same?
Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are great as a starting wide receiver tandem, but nobody is under contract for 2024. The tight end position could use a pass catcher. The interior of the offensive line is loaded with pending free agents and Terron Armstead has battled injuries and hasn’t yet committed to playing next season.
On defense, the line has free agents with Christian Wilkins and Raekwon Davis, Jerome Baker is a potential cap casualty at inside linebacker, Chubb and Phillips have their injury concerns at outside linebacker and Andrew Van Ginkel will be a free agent, DeShon Elliott and Brandon Jones are pending free agents at safety, and Xavien Howard could become a cap casualty at cornerback.
So, yes, give us a good player at any position in the first and second rounds.
The Dolphins need to build up their supply of young talent.
Their draft needs? Yes.
You’ll see between now and late April mock drafts pop up everywhere and we can imagine many of them will have the Dolphins selecting an interior offensive lineman or perhaps a wide receiver.
We always prefer the Best Player Available approach, now more than ever. And if the prospect can contribute right away, even better.
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