Swim into the Phink Tank, pt. 3

Rest assured, an unforeseen set of circumstances will violently shift the group-think tides of the 2019 NFL Draft — we just don’t know how much yet.

This is an exercise, much like a mock draft, that puts us in “what if?” mode.

We’ve played this game twice before:

1. Drafting at #13 — OR — trading down to #20 with the Pittsburgh Steelers
2. Drafting at #13 — OR — trading out of the 1st entirely with the Cleveland Browns

Third’s time a charm, eh? Felt right to drop a Canadian joke here.

I’m writing this on 4/20, don’t judge me.

The following players are off the board (in no particular order), and the Miami Dolphins found no feasible trade-up scenarios:

• Kyler Murray
• Dwayne Haskins
• Drew Lock
• Ed Oliver
• Quinnen Williams
• Josh Allen
• Nick Bosa
• Devin White
• Jawaan Taylor
• Jonah Williams
• Brian Burns
• Christian Wilkins

You have two options:

1. Choose the best player on your board
2. Trade down to #29 with the Kansas City Chiefs, who intend to get the best pass rusher on their board. The Dolphins would get #29, the Chiefs 2nd 2nd round pick (not a typo) #63, 5th round pick #167, a 2020 2nd round pick, and Pat Mahomes.

OK, just wanted to make sure you were paying attention — the Dolphins get everything except Mahomes: #29, #63, #167 and 2020 2nd round pick.

Sutton’s Take

I would take the trade.

I’d make the trade, much like I have every other trade down scenario in the Phink Tank. I’ll admit, in a vacuum, I’m a trade down guy philosophically. The 2019 NFL Draft, with the Dolphins’ draft position, leads me to believe this is the smartest strategy. It highlights the value in the 2019 Draft — its depth at DL and CB/S — and helps move the needle in the 2020 Draft pool. I’m of the persuasion that the #13 pick isn’t that much different than a pick in the late 1st.

16 spots is a steep drop, however. Many players will fall off the Dolphins board. Do the Dolphins miss out on a tier of DE, or their favorite CB? Are all the meaningful OL off the board at that point?

By the same token, it may also fit in the team description to intentionally make things hard on 2019. The Dolphins lost a 6th in its trade with the Tennessee Titans, so the extra 5th helps restore some balance to the 2019 draft capital.

Conclusion

Would you accept the trade and hopefully take advantage of an NFL team in win-now mode? Or would you resist the urge and choose the best player available at #13?

Let me know your thoughts down in the Comments Section!