What the Recent Miami Dolphins Trades Mean for the Team

The NFL free agency window is beginning to wind down, all of the sudden, we get a flurry of wide receivers that change hands. The two biggest trades during this time both involved the Miami Dolphins. They first acquired Brandon Marshall from Denver and then a few days later, shipped Ted Ginn Jr. off to San Francisco. All of these trades will have an impact, good or bad, and now it’s time to take a look at them.

Dolphins Acquire Brandon Marshall from Denver

First of all, if you are a Dolphins fan, you are celebrating with a cold one on the beach right now. This is a terrific trade for your team. The Dolphins acquire an immediate contributor to the team and is, without question, the number one receiver down there now. Marshall, who has caught 100 passes in 3 of his first 4 years, gives them a legitimate passing attack. 

However, after the honeymoon is over between him and his new quarterback Chad Henne, they will have some serious work to do. It’s no secret that Marshall can be a bit of a diva at times, and the Dolphins need to keep that in check if they want the production that they paid him for. 

Although Marshall can be a pass catching machine, he might not put up the numbers expected. He might have problems because the Dolphins are not really a pass-happy team. They have been continent with the duo of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams and while they do pass some, it won’t be nearly as much as Marshall would like. Plus, they have the Wildcat, and there really isn’t a spot for a Wide Receiver much in that formation so Marshall may struggle here. 

But, maybe they felt the need to rely on the running attack more was because they didn’t have a strong receiving core. By adding Marshall, they defiantly boost that and we could see a transition to a more balanced attack next season.

49ers Acquire Ted Ginn Jr. from Miami

This trade is deceptive at first. It seems that Miami doesn’t really need Ginn around anymore with the arrival of Marshall but, that may not be the case. Ginn was dumped by the Dolphins because he simply was not putting up the numbers that they wanted from him. He struggled last season, finishing with only 454 and a lousy 1 touchdown. 

He was supposed to be the new face for the team it seemed, and that just was not panning out. Now, with Marshall in the picture, they felt the need to deal Ginn and cut their losses. 

Ginn is going to be a good fit out in San Francisco however. He has pretty good speed and can be a solid number 2 receiver, which is what the 49ers are looking for. They already have Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis who are pass catching threats in their own right, and if you add Ginn into the mix, that makes for a solid receiving core. 

Ginn will make a difference on the team right away, and we could see him have the numbers that Miami wanted from him in just a few years.

Does this change the draft strategy for Miami?

With the NFL draft just around the corner, surely this shakes up things a bit. A lot of experts had them taking Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant if he was still there. However, with Marshall around now, they can look other places for their first round pick. 

Also, it means that they don’t have to even look for a receiver until maybe one of the very late rounds. He’s that good.

Overall, both trades will work out for both teams. Miami got the big, play-making receiver that they were looking for. San Francisco will get a solid number two receiver that over time they can mold along with Crabtree to make an amazing tandem. It’s a win-win, and a win all around.  (Well, maybe except for Denver and the poor cornerbacks of the AFC East.)