The Miami Dolphins flipped DE Charles Harris for a 2021 7th-round pick yesterday, a move that was in itself a stunner. Not because of Harris’ departure, but rather for the fact that Dolphins general manager Chris Grier was able to get anything for him at all. Miami watched Harris flounder and struggle to get onto the field for three consecutive seasons — their ability to pick up a late round poker chip for next year’s NFL Draft should be celebrated. This isn’t the first time Grier has worked some magic on the trade front, either.
The Dolphins miraculously moved Robert Quinn’s monster contract in March of 2019 and finagled an early Day 3 pick out of quarterback Ryan Tannehill despite his durability questions, perceived plateau and lofty cost. Both Quinn and Tannehill went on to have successful seasons elsewhere in 2019 — perhaps that was a part of the Dolphins’ sales pitch to Atlanta in moving Harris. Their successes don’t change the fact that their time in Miami had been played out and, with the team hitting the reset button, holding on to aging talents didn’t make sense.
Could the latest deal be a sign of more trades to come for the Dolphins?
We’ll probably see at least one more along the way. Why? Consider the Dolphins’ approach to the 2019 offseason. The team coveted NFL Draft selections and was able to manipulate the compensatory pick formula to secure 2 draft picks by letting pricy veterans walk out the door and failing to sign big money free agents of their own. This year, the Dolphins had no coveted assets walking out the door — which allowed them to spend freely without fear of losing out on NFL Draft picks. But this team still clearly covets NFL Draft selections; so what way can they go about acquiring them?
By handling fringe roster players exactly how they chose to handle Charles Harris. Find a team that was intrigued by a fringe talent and see if you’re able to get a bite. The good news for Miami is that if it worked for trading Harris, it could feasibly work for trading a number of other talents this summer if the Dolphins are confident they won’t make the roster.