The Miami Dolphins are a team that is going ton continue to see their identity evolve over the course of the next several seasons as the team finds the right balance of youth and skill. A large portion of Miami’s future as a franchise will be tied to the successes of their 2020 NFL Draft. With so many marquee players added to the roster in April’s first three rounds, the Dolphins’ team building approach is clear: acquire young talent via the draft en masse.
And thanks to the team’s blockbuster deal with the Houston Texans last August, the Dolphins are poised to do that for the second consecutive year this April. With the Texans struggling to keep their heads above water in a clearly sunk season, the Dolphins are well positioned to maximize their return for Tunsil next April in addition to their own draft capital. Where does Miami currently stack up?
Here’s how Miami’s assets align if the 2020 NFL season ended today:
- Texans’ 1st-round pick: No. 9 overall
- Dolphins’ 1st-round pick: No. 22 overall
- Texans’ 2nd-round pick: No. 40 overall
- Dolphins’ 2nd-round pick: No. 56 overall
The Dolphins entered the week with picks No. 11 and 22 — so the Dolphins logged their second straight win and seventh in eight games — and left the day with better total draft positioning with their first three picks than they entered the day with thanks to the Texans’ red zone fumble in the final two minutes of the game. These circumstances give the Dolphins the ultimately set of goals every week — win and simultaneously see their draft assets pushed up the board.
For at least this week, the Dolphins successfully enjoyed the best of both worlds. With the Chicago Bears up next for Houston and Kansas City up next for the Dolphins, it feels less likely we’ll enjoy the same outcome in Week 14. So enjoy this one while it lasts, Dolphins fans!