Chris Grier would have an insanely busy start to his work week even if the Miami Dolphins weren’t in trade talks with the Indianapolis Colts for Jonathan Taylor. He’s deciding on and making cuts ahead of the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Grier’s watching the waiver wire for players who released players who could help add depth to a roster that needs more of it. (The Dolphins are 21st in line in the waiver claim order.)
He’s managing a strained salary cap that just got another $30 million in obligations tacked onto it over the next four years with the Zach Sieler contract.
And Grier is playing the NFL‘s version of Jenga, trying to determine which players he can put at risk and then bring back after Tuesday, when Jalen Ramsey and any other hurt player with a chance of playing in 2023 can go IR-return.
None of these concerns exist in a vacuum. And all in some way could impact the Dolphins’ ability to trade for Taylor.
Will the Miami Dolphins Trade for Jonathan Taylor?
Beyond the Sieler deal — which might impact the team’s negotiations with Christian Wilkins more than it does a Taylor trade — the facts on the ground did not change much for Miami over the past weekend.
The Dolphins remain interested and, according to the Miami Herald, “have presented multiple trade packages.”
Dolphins have presented multiple potential trade packages. But who the hell knows what Jim Irsay will do when he wakes up in the morning? https://t.co/fk6mRPuU7I
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) August 28, 2023
The Colts remained eager to extract more in compensation than Grier as of now has been willing to offer.
The Athletic reported Monday morning that there is a second mystery team involved in talks with Indianapolis regarding Taylor, and that competition could have the effect of upping the cost of doing business.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, appearing on the Pat McAfee Show Monday, said Taylor is more likely than not to be traded.
Given how serious the Dolphins are about acquiring Taylor and how public Taylor is about wanting a new contract, the team presumably is prepared to give him a long-term contract that pays in excess of $10 million a year.
But doing so could end almost any realistic chance the team has to lock down Wilkins beyond 2023.
“Fortunately, there’s a good amount of players on this team that we want to keep around,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Sunday. “They’re really independent of each other. What it boils down to is you have an organization and a player and his representation being able to come to an agreement.
“With regards to Zach, we were able to come to an agreement. That’s independent of Christian and speaks nothing as to anything but that. It’s just we were able to come to an agreement, both parties, and that’s really the length of it.”
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The Dolphins know that they should be at full strength at the running back position when they open the regular season against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 10.
De’Von Achane (shoulder) could potentially return to practice this week, while Salvon Ahmed — who left the Jaguars game — avoided a concussion Saturday night and is “day-to-day,” per McDaniel.