This highly anticipated 2024 NFL draft is less than a week away. On Thursday, questions will be answered about the immediate future of all 32 teams.
The Miami Dolphins own the No. 21 pick in the first round which is bound to give them numerous quality options on both sides of the football. It appears that the Dolphins are in prime position to select either an offensive lineman with their first pick or strengthen their defensive depth. Whichever direction the Dolphins decide to go, they should have a great selection of young players to choose from.
However, the No. 21 pick could be one that is targeted by teams drafting later in the round, or by teams without a first-round selection. The Dolphins themselves might also consider moving up if there is a specific rookie they feel would fit the scheme perfectly.
Positions predicted to be heavy sought after by the No. 21 pick include wide receiver, offensive line, and defensive back, all of which could be considered needs for the Dolphins.
Here is a list of five teams who might try to trade with the Dolphins in the 2024 NFL draft:
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers sit at No. 31 in the draft after following their Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. San Fransisco showcased one of the best offenses, if not the best offense in the league last year, featuring electrifying running back Christian McCaffrey. The Niners enter this draft with needs on the offensive line, wide receiver, and cornerback. The Niners’ biggest need is definitely up front, but if recent Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors have truth to them, it might push them to taking a receiver with an early selection.
Without a doubt, the 49ers need to improve their offensive line if they hope to keep their Super Bowl window open. While there will still be high quality talent at No. 31, five to seven of the best linemen might already be off the board. For the 49ers to ensure they can draft their desired lineman, it might be best for them to consider trading up to get someone like Washington’s Troy Fautanu or Georgia’s Amarius Mims.
General manager John Lynch and offensive line coach Chris Forester recently visited the University of Washington, which suggests they are interested in Fautanu along with fellow offensive lineman Roger Rosengarten.
If Fautanu is their desired selection, they will almost certainly have to look for a way to trade up. Fautanu is one of the best offensive linemen in the draft with many teams, including Miami, linked to him in mock drafts. That means it would need to be a very enticing package for the Dolphins to move back 10 spots. Fautanu is precisely what the Dolphins need heading into this draft, making this trade scenario highly unlikely if the calls are being made.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers are a team fast on the rise with gifted young talent. They ended up being a surprise success story last season, upsetting the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. The Packers now look to add another piece to take them a step closer to contending.
Green Bay owns 11 picks in the draft this year, which is a nice arsenal that could be used to make a big move early. The Packers currently own the No. 25 pick in the first round with needs at cornerback, safety, linebacker, and offensive line. While the need at linebacker will likely be addressed in the subsequent rounds, the Packers are probably looking at either a defensive back or offensive lineman in Round 1.
If moving up in the draft is of interest to the Packers, they will likely target selections just a few picks ahead of them. It would be a surprise if they tried to make a push into the top half of the first round considering all they would be forced to give.
The Packers are specifically in need of help in the secondary to provide help to star cornerback Jaire Alexander. Moving up to No. 21 would put them ahead of Philadelphia, Minnesota, and Dallas who all might be interested in drafting a cornerback.
Cooper DeJean is a popular standout from the University of Iowa who could fit the bill. He is capable of making big plays on a moment’s notice as a dangerous pick-six threat. DeJean is a versatile prospect who the skills to play at cornerback or safety, making him a unique player who could be used to address a multitude of needs for the Packers. If Green Bay lands DeJean, he could be molded into a player who fits the scheme perfectly.
Other corners expected to go in the first round are Terrion Arnold, Kool-Aid McKinstry, and Quinyon Mitchell. The Packers should not hesitate to try and move up if they have a specific player they want. The Packers traded with the Dolphins four years ago to select their current franchise quarterback Jordan Love, could they try and do it again?
Houston Texans
The Texans are another team fast on the rise with a gifted young quarterback in C.J. Stroud. Houston made big moves this free agency, signing edge rusher Danielle Hunter, running back Joe Mixon, and trading for wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
The Texans currently do not own a first-round pick after trading the 23rd pick to the Minnesota Vikings in a pre-draft pick swap, a bit of a surprising move with all of the talent available.
Houston now owns two second-round picks, a third, and two fourth-rounders. If they want to move back into the first round, they have the assets to do it. But it would take a lot to get Chris Grier to agree to a trade out of the first round with the Dolphins needing to draft a starter for the upcoming season.
The Texans are in need of another cornerback to go along with Derek Stingley Jr. Penciled in as the starter on the other side is Jeff Okudah who hasn’t finished a season with a PFF grade above 60. This is a very deep cornerback class that will give the Texans options in the second round, but if Houston falls in love with a certain prospect, they might try and package two second-round picks to get back into the first.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are coming off a third Super Bowl victory in the last five years. Coach Andy Reid and the front office have been successful at hitting on draft picks to help them sustain their dynasty. A few examples are running back Isaiah Pacheco, receiver Rashee Rice, along with defensive backs L’Jarius Snead and Trent McDuffie.
Per usual, the Super Bowl champions own the final selection in the first round at No. 32 overall. While they are the defending champs, there is certainly areas where the Chiefs’ roster needs improvement.
A consistent trend for the Chiefs a season ago was the struggles of the wide receiver group. Kansas City hasn’t been unable to find a reliable No. 1 receiver for Patrick Mahomes since shipping away Tyreek Hill in a trade. While this hasn’t kept them from Super Bowl success, the Chiefs are a team that needs to improve its offensive talent in order to sustain their dominant run. The Chiefs currently have rising star receiver Rashee Rice and recently signed former Arizona Cardinals deep threat Marquise Brown. But they could still use another reliable pair of hands to be an immediate threat.
The top three receivers of the class — Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., LSU’s Malik Nabers, and Washington’s Rome Odunze — are likely to go in the top 10 picks of the first round, creating a potential scramble for wideouts later on Day 1.
If Kansas City has their eye set on someone specific like LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. or Texas’ Adonai Mitchell, it might be best for them to seek a potential trade partner. The Chiefs probably won’t make a push to move into the top half of the first round, but they might see the Dolphins’ No. 21 selection as a desirable spot.
Miami would need a large return to consider trading back 11 spots in the first round. The Dolphins probably don’t want to help out the defending champs either. A scenario like this would likely only happen if all the players Miami wanted at No. 21 are gone and the team feels the need to acquire some of the mid-round picks it’s lacking.
Jacksonville Jaguars
If the Dolphins were to consider moving up, the Jaguars might be a team willing to move back to No. 21. Jacksonville is in need of help in the secondary and many mock drafts have them as one of the first teams to select a cornerback. If that’s the case, the Jaguars could shop their selection to teams outside the top 20 since they would still be in line for the cornerback they would have taken at No. 17.
If the Dolphins are serious about a specific offensive lineman, it might be smart to try and move up a couple picks to ensure they are able to select him. The Bengals at No. 18 and Steelers at No. 20 are teams likely in the market for an elite blocker.
None of the three teams between Jacksonville and Miami on the draft order have a glaring need at cornerback, which may make the Jaguars comfortable moving back. It might end up being the move the Dolphins need to make in order to land Washington’s Troy Fautanu or Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga.
