The Miami Dolphins could do any number of things tonight as the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft kicks off. They could sit at the 13th overall pick and take a player who falls down to them. They could look to trade up to go get the player they want. They could trade back, adding draft picks and selecting someone later in the first round. There really is no way, at this point, to know for sure what the team will do.
With the start of the draft getting closer (8pm ET), we take a look at some of the places Miami could land if they trade out of their 13th overall position, and what it could cost to get to that spot.
Trading Up
San Diego Chargers - 3rd overall pick - Moving to the third pick would be costly, but it would allow the Dolphins to get ahead of the Dallas Cowboys, who seem to be the first spot in which running back Ezekiel Elliott could land. The Chargers can use the additional picks, but might be reticent to move away from a position where they have their choice of any non-quarterback on the board. According to the Draft Value Chart, the third-overall pick is worth 2,200 points, while the 13th pick is work 1,150, meaning Miami would have to make up about 1,000 points. That would likely mean Miami would have to send San Diego the 42nd overall pick (480 points), the 73rd overall pick (225 points), the 107th overall pick (80 points), and probably a 2017 pick as well. Basically, it will cost Miami either their entire draft, or they need to throw in some players.
Baltimore Ravens - 6th overall pick - If the Dolphins are looking to land Elliott, and he falls past the Cowboys, they may have to get ahead of Cleveland, who might have Elliott on their radar, or could be a target for other teams trying to jump ahead of Miami for the ability to pick Elliott. The Ravens dropping back to the 13th position could allow them to still pick up a key defensive or offensive lineman, which seems to be where they are looking, and add additional picks later in the Draft. The Dolphins would have to make up a 450 point difference, which is a little less than their 42nd overall pick (480 points), so there could be some swapping of choices involved to even out the point differential.
Cleveland Browns - 8th overall pick - The Dolphins could look to move back to their original position by making a trade with the Browns, who picked up the selection in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles - assuming the Browns are not hoping Elliott falls to them. This is probably the most likely position for Miami to jump, but it would obviously depend on which players had fallen this far. If this trade were to happen, it could signal that the Dolphins knew exactly what Philadelphia planned to do with the pick when they made the trade for cornerback Byron Maxwell and linebacker Kiko Alonso. The jump from 13 to 8 is a difference of about 250 points, meaning Miami may be able to make the move for their third-round pick (73rd overall, 225 points). That would mean the Dolphins picked up Maxwell and Alonso, two starting players, for their third-round selection.
Trade Back
Indianapolis Colts - 18th overall pick - The Colts are likely considering an offensive lineman early in the Draft, and if they want to land Jack Conklin, they may have to get in front of the Tennessee Titans, who hold the 15th pick after they traded out of the first-overall selection. Miami could drop back another five positions, looking to add a cornerback later in the selection process, or they could look at defensive end or linebacker in that spot, and still get someone ahead of the Buffalo Bills, who are probably looking at those two positions as well. The 18th pick is valued at 900 on the chart, meaning the Dolphins would need to receive 250 points, which would split the next two picks for the Colts, who have the 48th pick (420 points) and the 82nd pick (180 points), so there would likely either need to be multiple picks from the Colts, or there would be some swapping of picks in other rounds.
Washington Redskins - 21st overall pick - The Dolphins are not likely to make trades with the 19th and 20th picks, held by the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets respectively, due to AFC East rivalries. The Redskins, with the 21st pick, however, could be looking to jump in front of the Oakland Raiders in order to get their choice of a defensive player, which could make them viable trading partners. The Dolphins would need 350 points for the pick,which is a little less than the 380 points the Redskins have in their 52nd overall selection. A swap of fourth round picks - Miami's 107th (80 points) and Washington's 120th (54 points) - just about could make up that difference.
Cincinnati Bengals - 24th overall pick - This would be a big jump for the Bengals, but it could put them in position to grab their choice of any of the top wide receivers in the Draft, leaping ahead of multiple teams that could be looking to fill needs at the same position. The Bengals would have a 410 point deficit to make up in this case, which would likely cost them the 55th overall selection (350 points) and the 122nd overall pick (50 points). Would Cincinnati trade away a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick for a move to grab a wide receiver? Probably not, but it could be a move Miami tries to explore.