If one were to sit here today and try to read the tea leaves as laid out by the Miami Dolphins as to a future plan, the best bet would likely be to keep an eye on 2027.
The 2027 NFL Draft is likely not in the forefront of many following the Dolphins and understandably so. Taking a look at the moves the front office and general manager Chris Grier have made, however, suggest that Miami is not only actively thinking about it, but gearing up for it, for a number of reasons.
Based on the team’s current roster structure, Miami is going to have a huge offensive need one way or the other in 2027.
TUA’S 2025 & ’26 WILL DICTATE 2027 DRAFT STRATEGY
The low-hanging fruit here is to suggest that it be a good time to move on from QB Tua Tagavailoa, but gearing up to have the ability to move up in ’27 doesn’t necessarily mean the team will be looking to exercise its out from the final year of Tagavailoa’s contract, as will be available to them.
And while not planning for that would be nonsensical on the Dolphins part, a little extra thinking provides the likely answer to what will happen.
BEST CASE FOR TUA
The best case for Tagavailoa is he has two healthy years and continues to get better in Mike McDaniel’s system. With a rebuilt offensive line and seeming reset to the importance of physicality, Tagavailoa improves from what he built on in 2023. The Dolphins once again have one of the league’s most dangerous offenses, but this time multiple and not so pass-heavy.
In this scenario the team is likely moving in the right direction for sure in 2025 and at least lands in the playoffs, despite a few roster holes. In 2026, let’s say the Dolphins get a home playoff win at minimum.
If this happens, Mike McDaniel stays, and if McDaniel stays with Tua at the helm, be ready for another contract re-up.
WORST CASE FOR UCE
The worst case scenario is the injury issues still haunt him or the offense is not able to undo in 2025 and ’26 what it did in ’24.
In this case, McDaniel is gone in ’26 if not ’25 and nobody worth a hoot is going to take on the job and be forced to take Tua when he has, according to our scenario, either been hurt or not playing well AND is notably ‘somebody else’s coach’ with an offense-specific set of skills.
To hire anybody, the Dolphins would have to plan on taking a quarterback in the 2027 draft, while probably eating a lot of dead money to move on from Tagavailoa that season.
SEMI-QUIETLY PREPARING
Just like he seemingly sat patiently while a good deal unfolded in the Ramsey situation, Grier seems to quietly setting the table for the future.
Not quietly in the sense that he hasn’t ticked some people off and had them question the moves that will ultimately lead to future flexibility.
No, ‘quiet’ didn’t happen because when he shipped off a third-round pick as part of a package to move up to land guard Jonah Savaiinaea and doubled down by trading the team’s top pick the following day to Houston, most people paying attention who cared were chapped.
There were good players available in the spots they sent off, as the ’24 draft was particularly strong in the second to fourth rounds.
But the future third Miami gained out of the Houston trade was huge in Grier’s mind and he expressed as much in he and McDaniel’s April 26th media session.
“For us it’s always looking short and long term,” said Grier. “You never want to be in a spot where we have to do everything right now and get everything done because that’s when you make mistakes. Taking into account every possible scenario like we always do – short, long term, working through it and for us, the value of that third-round pick next year (is huge).”
Grier was also able to swap a seventh round pick for a 2027 fifth round pick as part of the Ramsey-Smith-Fitzpatrick trade. Seems insignificant now, but a fifth could be a final piece to a trade puzzle whereas a seventh never would be unless it was for another lower-round pick.
STOCKPILING FRESH GUNPOWDER
So as the 2025 season approaches, Miami currently has the following in terms of future draft capital:
2026: Rd. 1, Rd. 2, Rd. 3 (2*), Rd. 4 (2#), Rd. 5, Rd. 6($), Rd. 7
2027: Rd. 1, Rd. 2, Rd. 3, Rd. 4, Rd. 5 (2^), Rd. 6, (^)
(* from HOU for draft pick; # likely compensatory pick; $ could conditionally go to NYG; ^ extra 5th from PIT; 7th to PIT)
If the theory within this story is true, count on the Dolphins to try and turn thirds into 2027 seconds in the 2026 NFL Draft or possibly look to move a second for a future first. It will be painful to swallow, but the team is not likely to draft eight or nine players next year after drafting eight this past year.
WHY NOT GEAR UP FOR 2026?
Grier has proven if he feels an opportunity presents itself that he sees as favorable – whether it ends up being or not – he will pull the trigger. So don’t completely count out such a move.
But to put Tagavailoa in that situation is unlikely. It hasn’t proved fruitful in other places and has instead ended up toxic, something Miami currently preaches to seek avoidance of.
On top of that, nobody is outbidding Cleveland in 2026.
Yes, Shadeur Sanders fell into their lap after choosing other partners dance after dance, so to speak, before choosing him. The story is likely going to end up being bigger than his game. And the Browns will be holding onto their own first as well as Jacksonville’s going into the ’26 draft as things currently stand after the Jaguars moved up to select Travis Hunter in 2025.
There will be top-flight quarterbacks available in the next two draft cycles and there will be determinations made over the next two college football seasons that will greatly affect 2027, most notably if Arch Manning deems one year as starter at Texas isn’t enough or wants to enjoy the college experience as his famous uncles once did. This will be his first year as a full-time starter after sitting his first two seasons behind Dolphins rookie Quinn Ewers.
TOP OF ’27 DRAFT BOARD WILL PRODUCE STARS
There is no shortage of articles already on some of the players expected to be available in the 2027 NFL Draft, especially if Manning is among them, but even more so on the overall talent in the draft class itself.
But Manning will not be alone and may not even be number one, despite the hype and the pedigree.
Florida QB D.J. Lagway showed every physical skill you would want out of a young quarterback and, unlike Manning, played a lot of football last year. Good football. He also showed amazing maturity, composure and commitment to a program that honestly needed his stamp of approval to secure some jobs for a minute.
And if Tagavailoa is ‘that guy’ in 2025 and 2026, the Dolphins will likely be looking to add someone explosive to rejuvenate what will likely be a receiving corps in need of one. Tyreek Hill is almost certain to be gone by then and Jaylen Waddle will be in the second-to-last year of his current contract, but also the year his salary jumps almost $21 million.
Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith racked up over 1,300 yards as a freshman in ’24 and at 6-3, 215 and only 19 years old, he is currently projected as the best player in the draft regardless of position. Not far behind in the receiving department is Alabama’s Ryan Williams – even younger than Smith as he played last year at 17 –a player with elite speed and incredible run after catch skills.
Williams led all true freshmen this past season with 170 receiving yards after contact while trailing only Smith in yards after the catch (397), receiving touchdowns (eight) and yards per route run (2.51).
Lastly, there are plenty of players not mentioned here who will surely enter the picture between now and then, if they haven’t already.
ROUGH SEAS AHEAD?
It may be challenging right now for Dolphins faithful. The team’s entering a season (at time of publishing) where it has no cornerbacks who have done anything of note, except a good one in Kader Kohou who plays inside and likely lacks the size to play as effectively elsewhere.
Surely there will be offseason additions including to the defensive backfield, but don’t look to Miami to give up future picks achieve what they want.
Just like Miami ate a season at defensive tackle (Wilkens) and guard (Hunt) to keep from overspending only to turn around and address it big time in DT Kenneth Grant and Savaiinaea in the following year’s draft, it may again eat a season at cornerback in order to get a player or two next year.
And in the meantime, don’t be surprised when another trade for future capital ticks you off in the moment. If it pays off in the form of some of that talent likely en route to the pros come 2027, you won’t even remember it having happened.
Aqua & Coral Report 