THE EXTRA YARD: What’s Real in Dolphins Rumors?

So, what are they doing now?

Trading up for Joe Burrow? Cool. Oh, staying put for Justin Herbert? Nice. (Not really) Oh, I got it. They are trading up to #3 for Tua Tagovailoa. Nah. A trade down for Jordan Love is likely. Makes some sense.

Confused yet? I’m not. What has happened this offseason with the approximately 1,764 different scenarios concerning the Miami Dolphins and their Quarterback position, is nothing short of hilarious.

Now that “Dolphin Targets” Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford are settled in, we are left with the draft prospects to speculate about. No other story has gotten as much traction as that of the possible “interest” in trading up for Joe Burrow at #1. It has made the rounds from the pages of the Miami Herald, to debate fodder on First Take and Undisputed, to whole segments on ESPN Sportscenter and the NFL Network.

Source has told the Herald the Dolphins will make an attempt to trade to No. 1 in the draft. Recent history says don’t do it!https://t.co/qLPlPx1imR

— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) March 31, 2020

So what’s true? Our own Chris Kouffman (@ckparrot) of the Three Yards Per Carry Podcast reports that he has been told there is merit to these reports. So who is driving this? Well, let’s examine. First of all, we were told that there was a plan in place when the team was shedding salary and trading standouts Laremy Tunsil and Minkah Fitzpatrick for several 1st round picks. We know that the plan COULD NOT have been to use the assets gained, to secure LSU star Joe Burrow since he had not yet embarked on his historic season at the time, and was little more than a 3rd day draft pick by most analysts. No front office is good enough to foresee what Burrow did in 2019.

A historic season for @Joe_Burrow10.

But he has his eyes on one more 🏆 pic.twitter.com/D6VMRUMeQU

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) December 17, 2019

So, was the plan at the time to secure the assets necessary to land Alabama star Tua Tagovailoa? That is the most likely scenario, considering what Tua’s standing with draft analysts was at the time. He was a near unanimous #1 prospect at QB. So what does the hard evidence tell us? We know they liked Justin Herbert enough to devote considerable resources to scout him for two years. Same goes for Jordan Love.

As for Tua Tagovailoa, the talk has been plentiful, and Dolphins brass always seemed to find it’s way to watching Crimson Tide games in person, while many other alternatives that included Herbert and Love were available. So all this Joe Burrow love is headed by ownership (Stephen Ross)? Maybe. We do know this front office is tight lipped and Head Coach Brian Flores is not the leaky and gossipy type. So if ownership wants him, then it’s over, they will act on it, right? No. Not that easy. The Bengals still have to trade him to you.

You can get this article ready for @OldTakesExposed and be prepared to laugh at every word I wrote in here if they do in fact trade up to #1, because I’m calling BS.

My partner on 3YPC, Simon Clancy (@siclancy), said it best. “It’s arrogant to assume that you just wave 3 first round picks in the Bengals face and they are just gonna give you Joe Burrow.” He’s gonna be a Bengal folks. He is from the area. His girlfriend is from the area. He was recruited to Ohio State originally. He is a relatively clean prospect who just had a historic season. He fits the offense. Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor also coached Justin Herbert at the senior bowl, and the talk was that he was “enamored” with him. So the Dolphins got to trade what? 5 first round picks? To move up for a guy that Cincinnati might not take? (Herbert smokescreen) They are not doing that. They are NOT trading up to #1. The Bengals won’t trade the pick, and the Dolphins won’t part with the necessary ammunition to get Joe Burrow. Forget the smoke. There will be no fire.

According to B/R’s @nfldraftscout, "multiple teams" rank Justin Herbert over Tua 👀

(via @sticktofootball) pic.twitter.com/x1uRc4xzNz

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) March 30, 2020

So what’s real? Not much. At this time of year, teams go into a shell, and the real decision makers are not leaking to beat writers, although ownership very well, may. Agents are working the “refs” (the media), and leaking favorable info themselves, while playing PR agent for their guy. The truth is likely this: Nothing has changed. The more time goes by, speculation feeds on itself and narratives develop. One guy in a position of some clout, says something, goes on the record, and a story is born.

The story in and of itself is real, accurately relayed to the public from real and good sources, but in the end, it’s speculation from the source, since too many moving parts are required for the story to become reality. What is real is what we have been following all these many months. The Bengals will take Burrow at #1, and the watch will be on for who trades up for Tua Tagovailoa, and what the real projection is from NFL teams concerning Justin Herbert. There is your drama. There is your intrigue. It’s Tua vs. Herbert. Not Dolphins assets vs. Bengals desire.

Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) is one-third of the trio that does the Three Yards Per Carry (@3YardsPerCarry) podcast.