Chris Grier may not want to admit it, but he may need to start thinking about his job security. Maybe a couple of splash moves might make a difference in getting this season rerouted.
Of course, we all know that Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross will not fire Grier, and chances are, if anyone were going to lose their job over this season, it would be Mike McDaniel. Maybe Grier should be making moves to keep his head coach employed.
Given the status of the team right now, it would make a lot more sense to send players out of Miami rather than bring some in, but what if Grier and company actually view this team as one that can still compete and contend for a playoff spot? Technically, the Dolphins are only two games out of the final wild-card spot. Many of the teams ahead of them have not had their bye week, so the Dolphins could pick up a game later in the season.
If they realistically think this is possible, these three players should be on their radar before the November 5 trade deadline.
Za’Darius Smith, EDGE, Cleveland Browns
Like the Dolphins, the Browns are hanging on by a thread from imploding. The Browns are not trading Myles Garrett, but they did trade Amari Cooper. Miami’s defense desperately needs more help on the edge after losing Jaelan Phillips for the year. Bradley Chubb still isn’t ready to return, and the Dolphins need immediate help.
Smith is a three-time Pro Bowler and has five sacks in eight games this season.
Chop Robinson isn’t playing poorly, but Miami needs help, and Smith would deliver it immediately. It would be a smart move and would give them insurance should Phillips go down next season.
Diontae Johnson, WR, Carolina Panthers
We can all look in the mirror now and say the Odell Beckham Jr. signing wasn’t a good one for the Dolphins. OBJ has no catches in his two games and has barely been targeted. The Dolphins have two great wide receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but defensive coaches have figured out they can be stopped. The rest of the receivers lack quality, and defenses are not worried about anyone else on the Dolphins’ roster.
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Diontae Johnson would change that and give Tua Tagovailoa another good target to get the ball to. The Panthers are reportedly accepting phone calls for members of their team, and the Dolphins may want to consider getting a real receiver to replace OBJ. Johnson catches a lot of passes and could become a go-to target for Tua.
If Miami is looking for a cheaper option, Adam Thielen would be the perfect complement to the Dolphins’ offensive system and could work well out of the slot. He is trending towards returning from injured reserve soon.
Baron Browning, EDGE, Broncos
The Broncos don’t need Baron Browning given the depth they have, and he could be on the market.
He would be cheaper than Smith from the Browns and could step in and immediately help in the rotation. He is a quick fix to the problem, but with a contract looming in the offseason, he isn’t someone the Dolphins would likely keep around beyond the rest of the year unless he meshed with the team.
It would be a short-term fix, but the 25-year-old had 9.5 sacks in the past two seasons and would be an affordable addition to the pass-rush rotation.
