Dolphins Sunday Mailbag: Achane, Bain, Minkah, and More

Part 2 of the combine weekend Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:

From JWay:

What prospects could we be looking at from the big 3 in state schools?

Well, we have to start with the University of Miami stars Rueben Bain Jr. and Francis Mauigoa, either of whom would make a great pick at number 11. Akheem Mesidor is another very good defensive end prospect and I like wide receiver C.J. Daniels too. Keionte Scott is interesting as a slot corner and then Carson Beck could be an option if the Dolphins want to get a quarterback in somewhere around the third round. Florida and Florida State don’t have anywhere near the prospect list for the draft, but Florida DT Caleb Banks is a big-time prospect and Florida State DE Darrell Jackson Jr. is very intriguing.

From Harry:

What would a Minkah trade look like? 3-5 rd pick?? Waddle or Achane 1st rd pick, I assume?

Hey Harry, I think it’s fair to hope the Dolphins could get as much as a third-round pick for Fitzpatrick, but I’m not buying the idea they could get a first-rounder for either Waddle or Achane. Achane is a great running back, but teams usually don’t give up first-round picks for running backs given the nature of the position with the quick expiration date and the interchangeability.

From Thomas Hudson:

I get the new leadership's focus on winning in the cold. Because speed slows down and big stays big. But is there reason to be concerned that they end up putting together a team that could play well in Green Bay, but wilts in the South Florida heat? Big may be fine with the cold, but speed likes heat a lot more than big does. Could they end up creating a Dolphins team that can win in the cold, but has problems at home? This is not an idle question, some of the best Dolphins of the last 25 years were undersized (Thinking of Tyreek, Zach Thomas, and Jason Taylor). The bigger you are, the harder it is to have that engine running at a high level for four quarters in the heat.

Hey Thomas, that is an interesting premise, but I think you may have misconstrued what it is the Dolphins are trying to do. I don’t think they’re looking to build this jumbo-sized roster, just one that’s not undersized and can get physically overmatched if their speed is neutralized.

From Steve:

Hi Alain. These post June 1 cuts always confuse me. Maybe I just overthink them. If Tua is designated a post-June 1 cut prior to March 13, when I believe he is due a bonus, do the Dolphins still owe that to Tua since he will technically not be cut until June 2?

Hey Steve, no, the Dolphins would not have to pick up his bonus (which is pretty small regardless) because the post-June 1 designation only applies to when the effect on the salary cap actually takes place.

From Mason:

Good afternoon, Alain. With the Dolphins sitting at $4 million under the cap and many players free agents, where is this team going to find cap space to acquire players this offseason? And do you see them trading back in the draft to acquire more picks?

Hey Mason, yeah, the Dolphins definitely are going to have to get creative. The easy places to start are cutting Jason Sanders and Alec Ingold and trading Minkah Fitzpatrick, and then we’re looking at possible contract restructures involving maybe Jaylen Waddle, maybe Zach Sieler with the idea of bringing down their 2026 cap number, though that involves taking on bigger cap hits on them down the line. As for trading down, I do see the Dolphins absolutely trying to get that done, with the question being whether they’ll be able to find a trade partner.

From Scott F Kenward:

If the draft was today, who’s your pick?

Hey Scott, that’s an impossible question to answer because I don’t know who’s going to be on the board. Using the PFSN mock draft simulator, the three most highly rated prospects available when Miami would pick at 11 were Caleb Downs, Francis Mauigoa and Kenyon Sadiq, and I’m not taking a tight end at 11 in a rebuilding year. I’d be totally fine with either Downs or Mauigoa here, and the same goes with CB Mansoor Delane. I think the Dolphins should be happy with any of those three.

From Sean Beachem:

Thanks for taking our questions and all of the free content on SI. If Bain is there at 11, are you taking him? Who is the opening-day QB for Miami?

Hey Sean, I devoted an entire column to the very question of the idea of taking Bain at 11, and the very short answer here is no — even though I think he’s a great player. As for the QB question, because there are so many unknowns, I’ll take the wimpy way out and say Quinn Ewers.

From SC:

With franchise tag numbers released, $14 mill for running back … likely won’t go up much in 2027. How about ride Achane out, tag him next year, then move on?

There’s merit in what you’re saying, but I’ll offer another option. It involves your same first two steps, but not necessarily moving on — if Achane has demonstrated he still was very productive after that 2027 season.

From Dandi144:

Alain, after reading your take about the good and bad of QB competition, I am all in on keeping Tua in 2026. Paying him to NOT play for Miami is just stupid. Some may say, how about the fact that he was benched and he feels marginalized? But I say the coaches that criticized or benched him are gone; so he has a clean slate to work with. Do I think he is a great QB? Heck, no. Weak arm and zero mobility (which is the worst part) makes him very, very average. Which is why I totally opposed signing him to a big contract. I find it hard to believe any other team would have even come close to that number, so foolishly the Dolphins bid against themselves. Unless another team is stupid enough to give us a draft pick for him —and really, why would they? — they should keep him and let him compete with Ewers and whoever else they may bring in. They should not double down on the stupid mistake of signing him to a big contract by cutting him, only bring in another mediocre QB and paying even MORE money. Make Tua earn what he signed up for with the Dolphins. Best case scenario? Ewers blossoms as a top-level NFL QB, and Tua is set free in 2027. Second best scenario? Tua is rejuvenated by the new administration, plays well and the already bad money is not totally wasted. Thanks for listening!

You make a compelling argument, but I’ll just defer to my recent column as to why it’s time for the Dolphins to move on.

From Greenview Construction:

Looks like the GB QB is out of price range. If we could trade a 5THish pick for a youngster, would you take Richardson, Levis or another? Then if we draft a later round QB would you like to see Cole Payton or Tayler Green? Seems like they are looking for a big, physical, mobile QB.

If I were to trade a fifth-round pick for a QB, I think the one who would intrigue me the most is Joe Milton III, but I’m not sure the Cowboys are interesting in trading him. As for Payton vs. Green, if you’re picking either, you’re swinging for the fences, so I’d go with the one with the higher ceiling (Green) as opposed to the safet bet with the higher floor (Payton). But I certainly wouldn’t draft him until like the fifth round.

From Cheesefrog:

Looking at the draft, does position of need take precedence? I think CB, Edge and RT are the biggest needs. But there may be a few superior talents available (TE for example) that may be tempting. Also looking at safety if Minkah is exported.

A rebuilding team always — and I mean always — go with the best prospect available because the Dolphins aren’t a player at a specific position away from contention. Having said that, I’m a big believer in positional value, so give me the quarterback, edge defender, cornerback, pass-rushing defensive tackle and offensive tackle before any other position.