Is Laremy Tunsil the key to Dolphins acquiring Jadeveon Clowney?

The Miami Dolphins do not want to trade left tackle Laremy Tunsil. That seems to be a true statement, and nothing has changed over the past week. Miami is willing to make deals, with the possibility that the team will add edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney as the most likely trade to be made, but they seem to be balking at Tunsil as a part of that trade.

The Houston Texans would like to trade Clowney. That seems to be a true statement, and nothing has changed over the past week. Houston is willing to make deals, with the possibility that the team will send edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney to the Dolphins as the most likely trade to be made, but they seem to be balking at Laremy Tunsil not being a part of that trade.

And now, we may have the answer to why Pro Football Network last week was reporting Tunsil was being “dangled” in trade talks around the league.

The Dolphins do not want to give up Tunsil. He is in their plans.

The Texans want to add Tunsil. He is in their plans.

One of the teams have to blink if a trade sending Clowney to Miami is going to happen.

According to the Miami Herald’s Armando Salguero, if the Dolphins are going to even consider trading Tunsil, they are going to require more than just Clowney in return. The three-time Pro Bowl defensive end/linebacker will play the 2019 season on a franchise tag, then could refuse to sign a new contract with Miami, forcing them to either franchise tag him again, and potentially seeing another holdout, or allow him to leave in free agency. Meanwhile, Tunsil is under contract for 2019 and 2020, with the possibility of a franchise tag in 2021, meaning the Texans could get a player for three years.

Salguero writes, “The consideration the Dolphins have been focused on are a draft pick or multiple picks. The source would not disclose the value of those picks.”

The Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson reported on Thursday four teams have been in discussions with the Texans for Clowney. Wilson writes the Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, and New York Jets have all been in discussions. Seattle and Philadelphia are believed to be Clowney’s preference, while Washington is “a no-go at this time.”

Clowney has met with the Dolphins - the only team the Texans have approved him to visit thus far - and he seems to believe Miami is his most likely landing place. Clowney has yet to sign his franchise tag, a move that allows him to keep the power in this situation, essentially giving him approval authority on his future home. The Texans cannot trade Clowney as long as he has not signed the tag. He will not sign the tag until he is going to a place where he wants to go.

The Dolphins do not want to trade Tunsil. That seems to be why Miami and the Texans cannot come to an agreement on a deal. Tunsil seems to be the key to the Clowney deal. One of the teams will have to blink at some point - will it be Miami agreeing to deal Tunsil? Will the Texans add multiple draft picks to make the deal better for the Dolphins? Will Houston look to someone else on Miami’s roster, giving up on the idea of trading for Tunsil?

Right now, it feels like it is 50/50 on who will blink. It feels like Clowney will be in Miami eventually. It feels like Tunsil will also be in Miami, but there is definitely some doubt to that creeping in now.