Dolphins Not Likely To Make Big Move At Trade Deadline
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – To trade or not to trade, that is the question the Miami Dolphins must answer by Thursday's 4 p.m. trade deadline in the National Football League.
The Dolphins are exceeding almost all expectations are in the thick of the AFC playoff race halfway through the season. But the Fins still have some holes on the roster that a good trade could possibly push the team over the top.
Wide receiver may be the most obvious spot for the Dolphins to look for help. The Dolphins currently have starters Brian Hartline and Davone Bess along with backups Jabar Gaffney and Marlon Moore. The Fins also have Anthony Fasano at tight end.
None of the receivers would be considered a true number one receiver, but head coach Joe Philbin has said repeatedly that his offense doesn't necessarily have to have a number one receiver. Still, adding a big-bodied receiver would likely help quarterback Ryan Tannehill's development.
The biggest target out there is Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. He's playing under a one-year franchise tag contract and is not likely to get tagged again next season. Bowe is 6'2", 221 pounds and has gone for more than 1,000 receiving yards three times in the last four seasons.
He's also been almost completely shut down as the Chiefs offense is one of the worst in the league and the team has no quarterback.
The biggest problem with Bowe is he has a history of being problematic in the locker room and that's an automatic no-go for the Dolphins. Bowe would also want a big money contract when the season ends and investing big money into a six-year veteran receiver when you could invest much less in a star rookie receiver doesn't sound like a good move for the Fins.
The Chiefs would likely ask for either draft picks, which the Dolphins have plenty of, or backup quarterback Matt Moore. As Moore proved last week against the Jets, he's much more valuable to the Dolphins than a receiver like Bowe, so he's not likely going anywhere.
The Dolphins do have an open roster spot after releasing receiver Anthony Armstrong on Tuesday, but that doesn't necessarily mean a move is coming.
Past receiver, the offense is pretty well set and the only other position that could use some depth would be in the secondary. But there's not likely anyone available that will make the Dolphins want to give up anything for by Thursday.
The Dolphins have said they plan to build through the NFL Draft and have done a good job of doing that in the past two years. The Fins have a total of five draft picks in the first three rounds of next year's draft: one first round pick, two second round picks, and two third round picks.
The 2013 NFL Draft should have several good receivers available including: Tennessee wide receiver Justin Hunter, USC receiver Robert Woods, and California wide receiver Keenan Allen to name a few.
