Revisiting Grier's Hits and Misses as GM

Chris Grier had been Miami Dolphins general manager since 2016

Dolphins general manager Chris Grier discusses the upcoming draft on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. | HAL HABIB / The Palm Beach Post / USA TODAY NETWORK

Chris Grier's tenure as Miami Dolphins general manager came to an end Friday morning with the ever-popular "parting of the ways" announcement.

Grier took over that role in 2016 after more than a decade with the organization, though in many ways he assumed true GM duties in 2019 after the Dolphins moved on from Executive Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum.

The Dolphins failed to win a playoff game during Grier's time as GM, extending a drought that began in Grier's first year with the team in 2000.

Along the way, Grier oversaw a series of personnel decisions that did lead the Dolphins to the playoffs three times, including his first year in 2016, but also came up way short considering all the financial commitments the Dolphins made.

THE BIG MISSES

In breaking down the Dolphins' personnel decisions, we should point out that the organization went out of its way to talk about a collaborative approach but as GM, the hits and misses should fall on Grier more than anybody else.

And, without question, it's in the draft where Grier had most of his misses.

-- The Dolphins whiffed on too many early draft picks over the past decade, a trend that started with first-round pick Charles Harris in 2016 and continued with Noah Igbinoghene in 2020, Liam Eichenberg in 2021, Channing Tindall in 2022 and Cam Smith in 2023.

-- The Dolphins also missed out on some big-time talent, which happens to every franchise but seemed to happen more often for Miami. Just this year, the Dolphins took Kenneth Grant at number 13, one spot before the Colts took Tyler Warren, who already looks like a future All-Pro. But while the verdict isn't in on that dubious choice, here's a long list of more clear regrettable choices:

• DE Charles Harris over T.J. Watt in 2017 Round 1
• QB Tua Tagovailoa over Justin Herbert in 2020 Round 1
• T Austin Jackson over WR Justin Jefferson in 2020 Round 1
• CB Noah Igbinoghene over RB Jonathan Taylor or S Antoine Winfield in 2020 Round 1
• OL Liam Eichenberg over C Creed Humphrey or LB Nick Bolton in 2021 Round 2
• CB Cam Smith over OLB Tuli Tuipulotu or G O'Cyrus Torrence or TE Tyler Kraft in 2023 Round 2
• OLB Chop Robinson over CB Quinyon Mitchell in 2024 Round 1

-- The Dolphins also made a lot of high-profile trades in recent years when they decided to go all in to try to make a deep run into the playoffs and came up short. In the department, the Dolphins got mostly decent value in most of those trades and it's difficult to complain about Grier's work if the mandate was to go for it.

In retrospect, giving up a first-round pick for Bradley Chubb was a questionable (or bad) move because the edge defender was an impact player for only one season, and that 2023 season ended prematurely because of his Week 17 knee injury.

The Tyreek Hill trade can be debated for a while — and we'll get around to it at a later date — but it's impossible to call it an out-and-out miss for Miami.

Likewise, it's difficult to criticize the terms of the Jalen Ramsey trade after getting him for a third-round pick and a backup tight end, but the question is whether Grier should have known his personality could be an issue at some point.

GRIER'S BIGGEST HITS

The reality is that Grier usually got good value in the trades he orchestrated, with the caveat that it helps when the team is willing to make a financial commitment to a player whose team doesn't want to do that.

-- His best trade in terms of value probably was the huge Laremy Tunsil deal with the Houston Texans that netted the Dolphins all sorts of high draft picks.

-- The Dolphins also got great value in a draft trade involving picks in 2021 draft when they got two future first-round picks to move down from 3 to 12, but from this vantage point that win was somewhat negated when they turned around and traded one of those future No. 1s to move back up to 6. And then it also says here the Dolphins made a mistake by taking Jaylen Waddle, even though he's a very good wide receiver, instead of Penei Sewell, who has become an elite tackle on his way to the Hall of Fame.

-- Likewise, the moves up in the draft more often than not have not panned out, the latest example being this year's move up in the second round to get Jonah Savaiinaea, who has struggled so far as a rookie. It was the same scenario with Liam Eichenberg in the second round in 2021, and so far the move to give up a 2025 third-round pick to acquire a 2024 fourth to select Jaylen Wright hasn't panned out, either.

-- Grier did hit on some draft picks during his time, never more than his very first draft when the Dolphins landed Tunsil in the first round and Xavien Howard in the second. Christian Wilkins was a good first-round pick in 2019, and other hits have included Robert Hunt in Round 2 in 2020, De'Von Achane in Round 3 in 2023, Malik Washington in Round 6 in 2024 and Patrick Paul in Round 2 last year as well.

In the end, though, the misses clearly will stand out more than the hits, and nothing can erase the stench of the poor 2025 start after more years without a playoff win.