Could Trading Back Be A Winning Move?

Could trading back in the 1st be the perfect start to a successful season?

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Trading down, in the upcoming NFL Draft, is a hot topic among Dolphins fans. Slotted at #11, the Phins are probably too low for a shot at a franchise QB. Trading up simply isn’t a realistic option. Remember folks, Tannenbaum holds the reins now, not Ireland. Memories of Dion Jordan still makes Phins Front Office exec’s tail-end pucker up.

If that didn’t do it, does Leonte Caroo ring a bell? With our long list of dire needs, a trade-up is out of the question. We need more picks, not less.

However, there’s no question that our current Front Office likes to wheel and deal with trades and acquisitions. Of course, the success of that activity–so far–is debatable. I’d guess the Front Office believes, ‘you’ve got to be in it to win it’. And they are in it a lot.

So far, Mike Tannenbaum and Chris Grier have traded every which way but loose.  But they have yet to move their 1^st Round Pick on Draft Day. Maybe the best tactic is to finally trade back for more picks?

Trading picks for more picks means more rolls of the dice to hit BIG

It doesn’t take a pph bookie services to know the Phins trades to move up have been a mixed bag.

But if one of those top QB prospects drops, instead of going up the draft ladder, Miami could get more picks with the 11^th by moving back in the draft. And if you’ve read any comments from our reader “Draft Freak” Steve, he’ll tell you again and again, ‘trade back’. He turned M.J. into a believer.

More and more, the ground swell has grown that this is the best move the FO can make… that is, if the opportunity presents itself, of course.

We must remember: A trade back is entirely dependent on someone else wanting the pick. After that though, it’s ALL on the Trifecta.

Phinsnews.com is split on whether a trade back from  #11 is wise. While Phinsnews has come to believe it could end up a great play, we have our reservations. The key point of concern is, does this FO have the ability to find equal or better value in the trade back compared to grabbing a player early?

Nothing is fail safe… but some moves are more idiot proof then others. Lower the pick equals better odds.

Miami Herald’s Armando Salguero (among others writers and mock drafter extraordinaires) are predicting at least 6 teams will be interested in drafting a QB in the first round.  Considering only 4 or 5 QB’s (if you count Lamar Jackson) are ‘worthy’ of the first round picks, it could very easily end up that a QB hungry team is willing to part ways with a few draft picks to get their future ‘franchise QB’.

This COULD be a WIN for the Phins…

…But again, can this FO ‘go fish’ with lesser bait and pull in good haul?

For me, I get the ‘heebie jeebies’ when I think of what Miami’s past regimes have done with the extra picks they received via trades… especially when they get them from player trades… PAT WHITE.

But that history is the past. A more relevant question is, how has Miami’s recent deals for extra picks panned out?

I’d like to reference how Miami did pretty well with their trade for more picks with the Eagles in 2015… But Hickey was a big part of that equation. He’s not here Tannenbaum is.

A better look at this FO’s ability to trade back is the deal that Tannenbaum made with Belichick in 2016. The Phins traded their 5th for two of the Pats’ 6th’s with which the Dolphins acquired Jakeem Grant and Jordan Lucas.

The Pats quickly parlayed Miami’s 5th to the Seahawks for a 7th in 2016 and a 4th in 2017. Ouch!

Pats used the 7th rounder to get Devin Lucien the WR, who hasn’t been a factor. But the 4th brought them Deatrich Wise who contributed on 543 snaps 16 Tackles, 5 sacks, and 1 PDF.

Note to Tannenbaum: Taking a long range view will get you more when trading back.

While the ‘Cheat’ out played Tannenbaum in value of picks, Grier (and Gase who wanted Grant) did a good job (it looks like) in getting Mighty Mouse–despite his limited role so far.

This very well may break even for both teams… or possibly in the Dolphins favor if Grants builds his play at the end of 2017.

We can only hope.

Phinsnews has stated in a previous article at the good work Miami has done in later rounds. So if we do trade back and get a bad deal from T-bum, Grier and Gase could very well pull his fat out of the fire with some good selections?

From a P.R. standpoint though, it won’t be easy to pass on a QB such as Baker Mayfield. It will be a very tough decision for Miami’s head honchos. Miami could decide that Mayfield is too good of a prospect to pass up or be compelled to draft him due to the specter of missing out on a  franchise QB, if they don’t pull the trigger.

It will take a mix of luck, balls, and skill to pull a successful trade back off, for sure. Does the trifecta have the right stuff?

There’s also always this remote chance: Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Mike White, and Mason Rudolf could be the target later in the draft. Maybe a dream sequence of Phin Fans across the nation becomes reality… Miami trades back and uses one of the newly acquired picks to draft their future starting QB–a HOFer!

The reality of the regular season is still a long way off, so why not…. heck, it’s the Offseason where dreams are possible.

Ultimately, if they get a shot at a Top QB at #11, trade back or not, what they decide will be a seminal moment for this regime. This key decision could either be a launch pad to success or the death nail for this regime.  What are the rest of the Miami Dolphins News fans thoughts about trading back in the draft?