Dolphins, unsure whether they’ll keep first-round pick, travel to Senior Bowl with needs at edge rusher, tackle and cornerback

The question posed to Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier a couple of weeks ago was innocent enough.

Grier, who traded first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 for wide receiver Tyreek Hill and edge rusher Bradley Chubb, respectively, was basically asked whether he planned on trading Miami’s 2024 first-round pick or using the pick to infuse the roster with young, low-cost talent.

“Can’t promise anything,” Grier said with a smile, “but we’ll see.”

The Dolphins, who have Super Bowl aspirations after their disappointingly early postseason exit this season, could be looking primarily at cornerbacks, left tackles or edge rushers with their first-round pick, but interior defensive line or safety could be possibilities, too.

Top Videos - Rapoport: Dolphins and DC Vic Fangio part ways after one season

If there’s a dark-horse first-round pick it could be wide receiver, where starters Hill and Jaylen Waddle ended the season nursing injuries and no one else seemed capable of handling a significant part of their responsibilities.

The question of what Miami will do with its first-round pick (selection No. 21) in the April draft is even more relevant this week as Dolphins join the NFL’s other 31 teams traveling to Mobile, Ala., for the Senior Bowl, the beginning of the final stages of the draft process.

Senior Bowl practices will be televised live on ESPN and NFL Network on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The National team practices are scheduled for 10:30 a.m-12:30 p.m. and the American team practices are scheduled for 1-3 p.m.

The Senior Bowl game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. It’ll be televised live on NFL Network.

University of Miami safety Kamren Kinchens, regarded by many as the top safety in the draft and a projected first- or second-round pick, is scheduled to play in the Senior Bowl along with UM offensive lineman Javion Cohen.

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix and Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. have committed to the Senior Bowl, filling the need for high-profile players, along with UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu, a projected top 10 selection, Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga, a projected mid- to low first-round selection, and Penn State cornerback Kalen King, a projected low first-round pick.

Fuaga and King could interest the Dolphins as first-round picks.

The Dolphins, who are also looking for a defensive coordinator to replace Vic Fangio, have draft picks in the first, second, fifth, sixth (two selections) and seventh rounds of the draft.

But it’s that first-round pick that’s the most highly-anticipated, especially because the Dolphins have had good success with first-rounders recently including defensive lineman Christian Wilkins (2019), quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and right tackle Austin Jackson (2020), Waddle and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips (2021).

The Dolphins have lots to consider with this year’s first-round pick.

At cornerback, the Dolphins return All Pro Jalen Ramsey and could return Pro Bowl selection Xavien Howard (and his $25.9 million salary cap charge) as well as slot cornerback Kader Kohou and 2022 second-round pick Cam Smith.

The Dolphins could consider a cornerback because although Ramsey has mostly been healthy throughout his career, he missed the first seven games this past season after knee surgery. Howard, who has been injury-slowed the past few seasons, missed five games with hamstring and foot injuries in 2023 a season after battling through groin injuries. Kohou struggled a bit, mostly because he was picked on while playing opposite Ramsey and Howard. And Smith barely got on the field.

The Dolphins could consider a left tackle because Pro Bowl selection Terron Armstead, who is entering his 11th season and has battled injury issues to the extent he’s contemplating retirement, can’t be counted on to be healthy for a full regular season and the playoffs. And neither can backup Kendall Lamm, a free agent who is entering his 10th season and has had back issues. Young tackles Kion Smith and Ryan Hayes might not be ready to be starters.

At edge rusher, both Chubb (knee) and Phillips (Achilles) are coming off major injuries, and there’s a chance one or both doesn’t get back to 100% health in 2024. Most likely Andrew Van Ginkel, a free agent, will return but the Dolphins might find themselves wanting additional depth at such a crucial position.

Grier, predictably, didn’t tip his hand on what the Dolphins plan on doing with the selection.

“We’ve had a couple draft meetings with the scouts and they’ll be coming back in February and we’ll hit that hard before we go to Indianapolis,” he said in reference to the late-February/early-March NFL scouting combine.

“But also if there’s an opportunity that we feel can help our roster and it makes sense, and most of the guys we’ve traded for have been in an age bracket, too, that makes sense for us to do that if you’re going to move a pick like that. So we’re always open to listening if people want to contact us, as well. I know he wants a first-round pick bad.”

That last part was a reference to third-year Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, who was seated beside Grier.

This would be McDaniel’s first opportunity for a first-round pick.

In addition to trading first-round selections for Hill and Chubb, Miami lost a 2023 first-round pick for the Sean Payton-Tom Brady tampering incidents.

The Dolphins also lost this year’s third-round pick as part of the penalty for that tampering.

Miami’s first-round pick in this draft is No. 21, the second-round pick is No. 55, the fifth-round pick is the 23rd selection of the round, the sixth-round picks are the eighth and 22nd selections of the round, and the seventh-round pick is the 21st selection of the round.

Last year’s No. 21 pick was wide receiver Quentin Johnson (TCU) of the Los Angeles Chargers. He ended with 431 yards on 38 receptions with two touchdowns.

Ideally, the Dolphins can count on immediate help from scrimmage from the first- and second-round picks. The fifth-, sixth- and seventh-round picks are likely special teams contributors who might find a spot in the rotation from scrimmage as rookies.

After building much of the foundation for the current team through the draft the Dolphins broke course and went after veterans two years ago, adopting a “win-now” attitude.

Partly as a result, t he Dolphins most significant draftees of the past two years are running back De’Von Achane, last year’s third-round pick, and quarterback Skylar Thompson, the 2022 seventh-round pick.

The Dolphins’ most significant young contributor of the past two years has been Kohou, who was undrafted in 2022 from Texas A&M-Commerce.

The Dolphins’ top picks of the past two drafts, linebacker Channing Tindall, the 2022 third-round pick, and Smith, have been slow to develop.