Miami Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland Discusses Trading Up In the Draft

During their recent media blitz, the Miami Dolphins head coach, Joe Philbin, general manager Jeff Ireland, and CEO Mike Dee spoke to many of the local newspapers about the state of the team, the future of the franchise, and how Philbin is settling in as the head coach. Along with those topics, the Sun Sentinel today reports that Ireland broached the subject of trading up in the draft.

While not mentioning the possibility of grabbing Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III at the second overall position, the idea of moving up in the draft clearly adds to the speculation that the Dolphins could make a move for the Baylor Bears' quarterback.

The Sun Sentinel's Mike Berardino specifically asked Ireland how much is too much to move up in the draft.

"It depends on what the other team is looking for," Ireland replied. "It's all a matter of what that team that holds that spot that you're trying to get up to is looking for. Right now I don't know what they're looking for. You obviously have to take into account the player you're looking to acquire and how that player affects your football team.

"But right now, we're still in the due-diligence process of trading back, trading up. That stuff doesn't get going until a later date. We're just trying to get our staff in place and try to get them all lined up right now from a players standpoint."

While there is a large faction of fans that really don't see Ireland making a trade in the draft, simply because they don't trust Ireland, there's a history of trades during Ireland's time as the general manager. And, if it was Ireland making the trades, or former Dolphins vice president of football operations Bill Parcells, there is pattern of Miami being active on draft day. In fact, the Dolphins have made a trade every year since 2008 on draft day. Berardino ran down the trades from each year, grading the moves the Dolphins made.

He also points out, if the Dolphins were going to make the trade, it's going to be expensive. Berardino writes;

"...if you go by the traditional draft value chart and add up the Dolphins' entire 2012 draft, you still wouldn't have enough value (2, 291 points) to offset the 2,600-point value assigned to the second overall pick."

It's been rumored the Colts would be looking for a package including three first round draft picks before they would consider trading out of the first overall pick. For the second slot, the St. Louis Rams could be looking for two firsts, and this year's second, just to start the discussion.

If you were the Dolphins' GM, would you pay that price? Or, would you look to trade back in the first round, trying to find some more picks? Or, would you simply go best player available at the eight or nine spot? Even if that's an offensive lineman?