Paying attention to teams above them
INDIANAPOLIS — The Miami Dolphins might be slightly more anxious before the 2020 NFL draft if the four teams ahead of them live up to their word at the NFL combine this week.
Representatives for the Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions and the New York Giants all said they are keeping their options open. So the top four picks could potentially be available if the Dolphins — who own the No. 5 pick and more draft capital than any other team in the NFL — want to make a move for a player they covet before their predetermined pick.
But honestly, what else are the teams ahead of Miami going to say leading up to April’s draft?
No team, including the Dolphins, wants to divulge its draft plans — even when its needs are glaringly apparent.
The Dolphins need to draft a franchise quarterback to fulfill their rebuilding effort under general manager Chris Grier and coach Brian Flores. And Miami may need to make a trade when the draft begins April 23 in Las Vegas to secure such a player.
LSU quarterback Joe Burrow is expected to be the No. 1 pick and Ohio State defensive end Chase Young likely will be the second pick.
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who could be drafted No. 3 by Detroit, continues to get positive medical evaluations on his surgically repaired hip, which has raised concerns about his long-term durability and mobility.
“I don’t think you can rule out anything right now,” Grier said this week when asked if Miami could trade all the way up to No. 1. “I think we’re wide open to everything.”
The Dolphins would need a willing party from the group of three or four teams ahead of them if they needed to make a move for Burrow or Tagovailoa.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor has deflected from discussing Burrow as the team’s top pick.
“Right now all the options are on the table and it’s a great position to be in,” he said.
But Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin seems steadfast in keeping the No. 1 pick.
“We’re going to pick the right guy for us. … Everyone’s going to be available to us,” Tobin said. “That’s kind of the nice thing that we can just go through our process and make the right decision for us.”
The Redskins could be open to other options than drafting Young and potentially could create competition to work alongside quarterback Dwayne Haskins, their No. 15 pick last year.
New coach Ron Rivera said the Redskins are going to meet with both Burrow and Tagovailoa, while Redskins vice president of player personnel Kyle Smith seemed open to the idea of trading the second pick.
“We will go through every scenario of how far back we would go if that scenario came, or what if this team called and what do they have available,” Smith said. “We’ll go through all those scenarios so that draft night, when those opportunities come, we’ll be ready to roll.”
Added Rivera: “Everything is an option. As far as talking with Kyle, we’ve talked a couple times already about what the situation could possibly be. But the truth is we have to see what happens in front of us.”
Lions coach Matt Patricia added a wrinkle to the discussion, saying teams looking to trade up for their No. 3 pick could take a player at a position other than quarterback.
“I’m not eliminating any position right now,” Patricia said. “We’re just trying to make our team better, and if that’s taking the best player at No. 3, that’s great.
“If that’s moving back and acquiring extra picks this year or in the future, that’s something we’re going to have to consider too. So everything’s kind of on the table right now in terms of that.”
Giants general manager Dave Gettlemen has never made a trade down in the first round in his eight years as a GM for two different teams. But even he is open to the possibility of deviating from the norm.
“Absolutely. We’re open for business,” Gettlemen said about the Giants’ No. 4 pick. “Again, whatever we do is going to be in our best interest.”
The Dolphins have less than two months to continue engaging and keeping an eye on the teams in front of them in the draft. But Grier insists he is comfortable with his team’s current position at No. 5 as well as its bounty of draft assets that could sway a deal.
“We feel good where we are right now,” Grier said. “Like I said before, we feel we’ve done a lot of things that give us flexibility through the draft and free agency.
“Right now, we feel very good where we are.”