Checking scorecard on the many trades by Miami Dolphins GM Chris Grier

Chris Grier was named Dolphins general manager in 2016 and took full control of football operations three years later. In his time as GM, he has made 56 trades, yet if you buy into conjecture, some of his biggest are yet to come.

Among the names analysts have tossed around for potential deals are both of Miami’s starting receivers, Jaylen Waddle and, yes, MVP Tyreek Hill, plus defensive tackle Christian Wilkins in a sign-and-trade scenario.

There is no reason to think there’s smoke or fire associated with this speculation, at least for now. But given how much Grier loves to trade, especially around draft time, it’s fair to say some players and/or picks are going to be on the move.

So let’s look at some of the more intriguing deals of Grier's tenure.

Dolphins go 1-1 in trade-ups (2016)

The Dolphins traded up twice during the 2016 draft. The first was a clear win. That’s how Miami landed All-Pro CB Xavien Howard in a swap of second-round picks that also netted Baltimore a fourth-rounder. The second deal? Not so great. Miami took WR Leonte Carroo in the third round after trading with Minnesota. Had the Dolphins stayed put? The following year, after another trade went down, Miami’s original third-round pick was used by Kansas City for RB Kareem Hunt.

Laremy Tunsil for half the Dolphins’ roster (2019)

OK, maybe it wasn’t quite that extreme, but it was close — so close that Tunsil once told Grier he would have traded himself for the bounty the Texans were sending Miami. Tunsil, WR Kenny Stills and picks in the fourth and sixth rounds went to Houston for a couple of backups plus two first-round picks and a second-rounder, which Grier parlayed too many times to count. To put it in real terms: This trade directly and indirectly helped Miami land S Jevon Holland, WRs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and edge rusher Bradley Chubb, among others. It’s a gift that’s still giving.

Take a moment to recall the Josh Rosen era (2019)

Everyone knew the Cardinals were shopping QB Josh Rosen. The Dolphins had already signed Ryan Fitzpatrick a month earlier, but after struggling for years to figure out if Tannehill would take them to a Super Bowl, the Dolphins figured they’d take two shots at a starting QB instead of one. They sent a second- and fifth-rounder to Arizona for Rosen in what many said was too steep a price to begin with. In return, they got as many touchdown passes (one) as they did from punter Matt Haack.

Hands tied, Dolphins trade away an All-Pro (2019)

Just as there were extenuating circumstances that allowed Grier to obtain CB Jalen Ramsey in 2022, so too did the departure of S Minkah Fitzpatrick, a three-time All-Pro for Pittsburgh. It was clear the relationship between Fitzpatrick’s family and the Dolphins was souring, so Miami traded him and a seventh-rounder for picks in the first, fifth and sixth rounds. If we were judging this trade a year ago, it would be a rout in favor of the Steelers. Now, it’s getting more palatable because that first-round pick in 2020 was used for right tackle Austin Jackson, who enjoyed his best season in 2023.

Patriots kick the tires on WR Isaiah Ford (2020)

In truth, this trade won’t go down as one of the most significant in Dolphins history. Far from it. But it earns a place on this list for what it represents: a rare win in deals involving Bill Belichick. The Dolphins sent Ford to New England for a seventh-round pick that essentially became Belichick’s gift to Miami. Ford was a Patriot for all of 32 days before getting cut. Nine days after Belichick released him, Ford was back on the Dolphins’ practice squad. The Dolphins ended up trading away that seventh-round pick for Greg Little, who started seven games on the offensive line in 2022.

Blockbuster deal followed by blockbuster deal (2021)

It made headlines on March 26 when Grier made a trade that sent the No. 3 overall pick to San Francisco for three first-rounders and a third-rounder. Those headlines didn’t last long online. Grier quickly made a second deal, sending two first-rounders (one in 2021, one in 2022) to Philadelphia for a fifth-rounder and the No. 6 overall pick in 2021. That’s how the Dolphins drafted Waddle.

Anybody want a potential Hall of Famer (2022)?

Ramsey is decent, you may have heard. Been to seven Pro Bowls, named All-Pro three times, consistently rated among the NFL’s top 100 players. The Rams didn’t trade him to Miami because of a lack of production. It was a salary dump. The cost for the Dolphins? TE Hunter Long, who in three seasons has made exactly one more catch than you (assuming you are not an NFL player).

Adding heat off the edge at a decent price (2022)

At the trade deadline, Grier obtained Denver LB Bradley Chubb, who has since made one Pro Bowl and followed that by an even better season in 2023, albeit ending prematurely because of a knee injury. The cost involved RB Chase Edmonds, who wasn’t part of the plans here anyway, and a first-rounder that eventually was used by the Saints on Clemson DT Bryan Bresee, who had 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss in a backup role as a rookie in 2023.

Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at  hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal.

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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins GM Chris Grier loves to trade, so is he winning at it?