The Cincinnati Bengals have been locked in on drafting Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick for months. Now with the 2020 NFL Draft just hours away, the Miami Dolphins are hoping to change that with a last-minute godfather offer.
Miami is engaged in talks with the Detroit Lions for the No. 3 overall pick with some belief there could be an agreement in place. Following speculation that the Dolphins were targeting a trade up for an offensive tackle, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio is reporting the front office is eyeing an even bigger move up for Joe Burrow.
The Bengals have been adamantly opposed to dealing the No. 1 overall pick, even telling Burrow weeks ago that they would take him with the top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, the Dolphins are now hoping a potential package of the No. 3 and No. 5 overall picks could be the offer too good for Cincinnati to pass up.
The Lions are very open to trading the No. 3 overall selection, preferring to pick up additional picks and take an elite defensive prospect at the No. 5 pick. However, Miami’s reported desire to keep their top-five pick would dramatically increase the cost. The Dolphins would likely need to package the No. 18 and No. 26 overall picks, giving Detroit two first-round selections, along with the No. 39 pick and No. 70 selection.
If that offer satisfied the Lions’ interests and convinced them to slide down 13 spots in the draft, Miami could then package two top-five picks to the Bengals. Of course, that would still require the Bengals to believe that Justin Herbert or Tua Tagovailoa and a top offensive tackle is worth the cost of losing Burrow.
Burrow expects to be the No. 1 pick on Thursday, which will happen even if the Dolphins trade up. Many thought it was a foregone conclusion he would stay at home in Ohio with the Bengals. Now, with only a few hours until the NFL Draft begins, the Dolphins are trying to make one of the biggest draft-day trades in years.