They may have to use a high pick if they want the top option at punter.
There’s less than one month to go until the NFL draft in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Miami Dolphins won’t have a selection (at the moment) until the third round due to the Tyreek hill trade with Kansas City.
Following the annual NFL meetings earlier this week in Palm Beach, Florida, it was hinted by general manager Chris Grier that Miami may be set for the most part, as they head into the league’s annual selection meeting. After an aggressive offseason of acquisitions, Grier stated that they may, in fact, be continuing their investment in fourth-year offensive lineman Michael Deiter.
Grier also stated that the Dolphins aren’t in the Tyrann Mathieu market, as some recent speculation had “the Honey Badger” nearly in the team’s grocery cart.
While those two may be scratched off the list there are still big-name free agents out there, namely middle linebacker Bobby Wagner and center J.C. Tretter, both positions of need for the Dolphins.
Grier also hinted at several teams displaying interest in wide receiver DeVante Parker. Whether or not that’s something to keep an eye on is anybody’s guess at the moment. And, with Hill on board, the signing of free agent Cedrick Wilson, adding to Jaylen Waddle and tight end Mike Gesicki, Parker may be moving down the totem pole of targets for Tua Tagovailoa.
It’d be interesting to see what type of a market truly exists for Parker, especially if he starts the season in Miami where in-season moves for picks are always a possibility before the trade deadline. Parker has a very team-friendly contract, and it’d probably behoove Miami to at least take him through training camp and see what they have with their overall receiving corps and, of course, his health.
As for the draft, Miami has a third, fourth, fifth, and a pair of seventh-round picks in this upcoming draft. At the moment, the first time the Dolphins will make a selection in Vegas is pick No. 102. Ironically, Mike McDaniel’s first drafted player as head coach of the Dolphins is a pick that was once owned by his previous team, the San Francisco 49ers.
Miami could hang tight and not bring in any more big names or send out players like Parker or even Deiter, who’s gathered interest from multiple teams as well. However, the glaring needs would still seem to be that inside linebacker spot, center, offensive line depth and a punter.
A punter is more valuable than many think, and while everyone is hopeful that there’s not much use for punts in what should be a high-powered offense, it’s the danger of flipped field position with this Miami defense that would make a great punter lethal.
There happens to be one in this year’s draft, and that third-round pick may just be the perfect landing spot, much like a coffin corner kick at the one-yard line.
That punter is San Diego State Aztec Matt Araiza. He led the NCAA in net average in 2021 at 51.2 yards per attempt and a remarkable long of 86 yards, one of a pair of 80-plus yard kicks last year for him. Araiza isn’t done after the punt, as he has tackling skills and can even place kick.
The Dolphins have only drafted a punter four times in franchise history. Mike Michel was selected in the fifth round in 1997 and only kicked 35 balls in his tenure with the Dolphins. Miami legend, Reggie Roby was drafted in 1983 in the sixth round and, in his ten seasons as a Dolphin, made three Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams.
They shanked on Brent Bartholomew in the sixth round, who only had seven punts in his career. And, the most recent drafted punter for Miami was Brandon Fields, who was selected in the seventh round in 2007. He made a Pro Bowl during his eight seasons in South Florida.
Let’s get back to Araiza, who put on a show at the scouting combine in Indianapolis earlier this March. The San Diego-born “Punt God” is a shoo-in for hearing his name called first at his position.
No pun(t) intended, of course.
Should Miami elect to spend their first 2022 selection, as of now, on a position of arguable greater need, they wouldn’t have much long a wait until their fourth-round choice. Pick No. 125 could be more palatable for Miami to go with a specialist then, although sacrificing a potential “Punt God” could simply be too great of a sin.
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