Dolphins Pre-Draft Weekend Mailbag, Part 2

Part 2 of a pre-draft weekend Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:

From Jorge boyd:

Hi Alain, what is this draft short of in terms of position players G/T, DT, CB that the Dolphins might need to focus in the first round or miss getting a good potentital starting-caliber player?

Hey Jorge, by all accounts, the Dolphins should be able to address all three at different times in the first three rounds, so they probably shouldn’t be locked into one specific position in either Round 1 or Round 2.

From Jayco:

Have you given thought to the possibility that Mr. Ross is allowing the coach and GM to dwell in the mess they created for a final year before ultimately deciding their fates?

No, I have not entertained that notion because it doesn’t make any sense. You actually want to believe the owner would want things to go south to make his decision easier come next offseason? Yeah, that doesn’t wash with me.

From Olive Grove Jon:

Hi Alain, when the Dolphins eventually move off Tyreek, what would be the ideal WR2 to Jaylen Waddle? A Jarvis Landry type or a Brandon Marshall type?

Hey OGJ, Jarvis Landry was the ultimate WR2 in my mind as a brilliant slot receiver with a great physical presence, though he was featured like a WR1 with the Dolphins. But a Marshall type, with size and also physicality also would work, though minus the issues of working (or not) well with others.

From Neco:

It’s obvious that DB is a need. Do you think building the lines would be best since the team isn’t ready to compete with the best in the league?

Hey Neco, yes, you never can go wrong with building the offensive and defensive lines as much as possible, and I wrote about that about a month after the end of the 2024 season. That’s always a sound strategy and it’s something the Philadelphia Eagles, for example, have done so well. If the Dolphins decided to make 2025 a transition year, there certainly would be nothing wrong with focusing on the lines, but I don’t think that’s how they’re viewing things right now.

From Dolfan72:

Why is this franchise so pathetic and rudderless with no direction??

Is this a serious question? Did I also dream the part where the Dolphins had four consecutive winning seasons before last year when they were 8-9 (and not 2-15) and made the playoffs two years in a row? Look, are things great? No. But to call the franchise “pathetic” is a bit much, don’t you think?

From Michael LaVigne:

What would a salary/player swap of Ramsey for Jaire Alexander look like from a cap standpoint?

Hey Michael, any team acquiring Ramsey would be on the hook for something around $21 million this year, while Alexander has a $16.2 million salary in 2025, per overthecap.com. Ramsey’s contract is guaranteed, while Alexander’s isn’t. We also should understand that financial arrangements can be made among teams to facilitate a trade, such as the Dolphins paying some of Ramsey’s salary. The bigger issue for the Dolphins with Alexander is the fact he missed 20 games the past two seasons and 33 over the past four.

From Carl Bueckert:

Alain, who do you really like in this draft, it doesn't matter in what round? I've been so disgusted with everything this team has done and I usually know the players but the team has sucked all the enthusiasm out of me and I have 0 faith in this organization until GM & HC are gone.

Hey Carl, I know a lot of fans are frustrated and upset right now, but you gotta stick with your team, right? As to who I really like in this draft, Travis Hunter is kind of an obvious answer here and he’s not attainable for the Dolphins. Cam Skattebo obviously is a fun watch at running back and I would not object to the Dolphins using a fourth-round pick on him if he were available. And lastly I like big defensive tackles who can move, and that would fit Kenneth Grant of Michigan.

From Harry:

Why do people keep on insisting Ross wants to win? He’s owned the team for 16 years; if he really wanted to win wouldn’t he have figured out how to hire the right people by now?

Hey Harry, it’s not quite as simple. And do you really think a man who’s been a major success with real estate and likely has an ego (as most powerful people do) is OK with being the owner of a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game under his ownership? Think about it.

From Luis Rodriguez:

Hi Alain, you know how the Myles Garrett situation wasn’t about a contract until it was? The Ramsey situation feels similar. 30+ year old stud player (?) with no guaranteed money after next season. I know what Grier said… but amirite?

Hey Luis, I cannot bring myself to think this is about money considering the Dolphins redid Ramsey’s contract last summer when they didn’t have to after first redoing his contract following the trade with the Rams. I mean, what, the Dolphins are supposed to redo his contract every year? Again, I never say never, but I just have a hard time believing this is about money beyond the fact that Chris Grier said it wasn’t contract-related.

From Omar Kelly:

You clearly don’t think Tua is good enough, so what would be your plan?

Love to get this from my former colleague and now columnist for The Miami Herald, though my buddy isn’t representing my comments properly. For example, I "don’t think Tua is good enough" is an incomplete statement. If the Dolphins have a great team around him, yes, he’s more than good enough. But, no, I don’t believe he’s good enough to get the Dolphins to another level by himself like the top echelon of NFL QBs can. And I say that because we simply haven’t seen it in five years and I don't know that the skill set is there to do that. This isn’t to say that Tua is to blame for the failures against the better teams over the past few years, but he’s also a part of it. Just like the success of the offense isn’t all on Tua, though he has been a part of it. The bottom line is that I see Tua — until proven otherwise — as a QB you can win with, like a Jared Goff, and not a QB that you win because of, like a Josh Allen. As for my plan, well, there is no plan right now because my plan would have been put in place last year and that would have been Tua playing on his fifth-year option. That ship has sailed now and if Tua is healthy, it doesn’t make sense to look elsewhere right now for a replacement because Tua has too much guaranteed money over the next two years to sit on the bench (and you’re not getting a cheap replacement right now). So maybe you take a shot at a draft pick at some point in the 2025 draft (though not in Round 1 unless Cam Ward slides) and see if you hit the jackpot there or see what options can materialize next offseason.

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