What would it cost Dolphins to trade back into first round?

The Miami Dolphins are currently scheduled to pick twice in the first twenty selections of this week’s NFL Draft. But the Dolphins, who were very committed in 2020 to keeping their selections intact in the early portions of the draft and committed to picking by volume, may be in the market for a different approach to the 2021 NFL Draft based on their current needs and the state of the roster.

Yesterday, we took a look at Miami’s fate with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Dolphins saw two of their top targets snatched right out of their grasp with the two picks immediately in front of that selection — prompting a trade back in the draft. Could the Dolphins be interested in a stealing a page from that playbook and using it against someone else this year?

If so, what would a trade back up in the NFL Draft order from the No. 36 overall pick cost the Dolphins if they wanted to secure a third 1st-round selection?

The No. 36 overall pick is valued at 540 points on the Jimmy Johnson trade value chart. The 32nd overall pick is valued at 590 points on the same scale; and the 50 point discrepancy is the value of the No. 122 overall pick in the draft. That’s the challenge for Miami in a hypothetical trade up scenario: Miami does not own any selections in-between the No. 81 pick (3rd round) and the No. 156 pick (5th round); leaving the Dolphins with a void in the value range that could potentially secure a trade.

But a trade up would still be feasible on a number of different fronts. The Dolphins could surrender the No. 81 overall pick along with No. 36 and ask for a 1st-round selection and additional later draft picks back. Using the Green Bay Packers as an example, the Jimmy Johnson trade value chart would be nearly balanced with the following exchange:

Dolphins receive —

• No. 29 overall

• No. 135 overall

• No. 142 overall

• No. 178 overall

Packers receive —

• No. 36 overall

• No. 81 overall

Of course, any trade requires two agreeable parties to come to a swap. But this formula could be the pathway to Miami jumping up in the draft order and simultaneously tacking on added mid-round draft selections. Such a maneuver would be a strong path to the team attacking the draft in a different manner than they did early on in 2020 and, potentially, help the Dolphins ensure they don’t narrowly miss out on a prospect they love this week.