Dolphins Will Pick 19th In 2014 NFL Draft
DAVIE (CBSMiami) – The Miami Dolphins season and playoff hopes were ended Sunday by the New York Jets meaning fans will now look to free agency, and more so to the NFL Draft, to find hope for the future of the team.
The Dolphins finished the season with an 8-8 record and combined with the team's strength of schedule leaves the Dolphins picking 19th in the 2014 NFL Draft.
The Fins have a multitude of free agents this season and have needs at defensive tackle, offensive tackle, and offensive guard.
Along the offensive line, one potential free agent who may intrigue the Dolphins is tackle Branden Albert. The Dolphins were on the verge of trading for him last season and if he's available for a reasonable price could be just what the Fins' o-line needs at left tackle.
The Dolphins will have roughly $28 million in salary cap space in 2014, seventh most in the NFL. Miami could find additional cap space if it reworked Mike Wallace's 2014 cap number of $17.25 million.
The pickings are a little slimmer at guard with the possibilities of Wade Smith and possibly Alex Mack, who has been a quality center since entering the league out of Cal.
In the NFL Draft, very early mock drafts have the Dolphins looking for a tackle at number 19 with Alabama's Cyrus Kouandjio being at the top of the list.
If the Fins were able to add Albert and Kouandjio as bookend tackles to play alongside Mike Pouncey, the offseason would be a success.
