Miami Dolphins: Draft Preview 2023

The Miami Dolphins aren’t loaded up with picks as they have been in the past. With their collection of draft picks sitting at just four picks, they’ll have a lot of work to do to fix needs. Expect this draft to be lackluster, yet there are spots they can still improve.

Team Needs: Linebacker, Running Back, Tight End, Offensive Line

Does anyone else feel like these have been the Dolphins’ position of need for as long as they can remember? How many drafts in a row are they going to go out and need a linebacker, tight end, and offensive line help? Running Back is the only position they receive a slight break on and even then they still only have a few in-house on short-term deals. How many times can they swing and miss on these positions, especially offensive line? Concerns over the health of Tua Tagovailoa after multiple concussions this year highlight that need the most.

MORE Miami Dolphins: All Or Nothing in 2023 NFL Draft

Miami needs to go out and solidify that position once and for all. It should be atop their draft wish list. They can play coy all they want and say they’ve got their starters on the roster already but it has to be the worst poker face in history. Not only was Tua injured multiple times behind that line, but both Teddy Bridgwater and Skylar Thompson also suffered injuries as well. If you can’t keep a QB healthy behind your offensive line, it needs improvement. End of story.

On defense, linebacker seems to also be in a constant position of need. Now that the team brought in Vic Fangio to help improve the defense focus will also pivot to the other side of the football. Maybe they give him a year to assess which positions need improvement. However, if their top talent isn’t healthy then the defense is a major concern. There’s too much to gamble with their window to compete closing. The talent level on this team is the best it has been in the 2000s so it’s put up or shut up time. Find your impact players on defense before it’s too late

Position of Wealth: Wide Receiver

The Miami Dolphins could use current players to move around the draft, but they don’t have many. The only real position they can afford to lose is wide receiver, yet even then they only have Cedrick Wilson. There’s no way they’re giving up Jaylen Waddle or Tyreek Hill. Chosen Anderson was just signed to a one-year deal so he won’t be on the move. The only other option would be pulling the plug early on Erik Ezukanma which I doubt the Dolphins want to do.

Now it would be a shock if the Dolphins could somehow move Noah Igbinoghene as he has not lived up to his draft potential. Part of that could be on the Miami Dolphins for drafting him so high in the first round or him being so new to the position. Whatever the case may be, he sure as hell wouldn’t come close to the pick value he was drafted at. Those are the only two players Miami might have leverage with and it’s weak at best.

There has been talk of the team trading back into the first round, but without picks and players teams see as an upgrade it could be hard. We’ll see if they have some luck when the draft starts tonight at 8 pm EST.