Dolphins, Denver and Connecting the Potential Dots

Miami Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier had a discussion with Denver counterpart and former colleague George Paton

On the day he conducted his annual pre-draft media session, Miami Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier had a phone discussion with his counterpart with the Denver Broncos.

But new Broncos GM George Paton isn't just a peer, he's a former colleague, having worked in Miami from 2001-06 during Grier's first years with the organization.

So maybe it was just two old friends catching up, but along with revealing his phone call with Grier during his own pre-draft press conference, Paton also indicated he's had discussions with around teams about potentially moving out of the ninth overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

Paton even specified all the talks have involved the Broncos moving back, not up in the first round.

“We haven’t made any calls yet to move up," Paton said. "We’ve received calls to move back. Being a first-year general manager really doesn’t impact whether we would move up or not. If we feel a player can help us and can upgrade us, and if we feel he’s worth going to get, we’re going to go get him.”

So Paton didn't dismiss the idea of trading up in the first round, which would follow along with the idea that maybe the Broncos perhaps will want to make a move to get a quarterback. Paton said the Broncos would "look at the quarterback position," even though he said the team was very high on 2020 starter Drew Lock.

The Dolphins trading back from 6 to 9 in the first round is a scenario we previously discussed, but what about an entirely different script, this one with the Dolphins moving up from 18 to 9.

Under that scenario, the Dolphins would have two of the first nine picks and would be in position to get not one but two offensive players to help out Tua Tagovailoa ... say, Kyle Pitts at 6 and Jaylen Waddle or DeVonta Smith at 9. Or maybe one offensive player and one defensive player.

Based on the old Jimmy Johnson draft pick value chart, a move from 18 to 9 in the first round would be worth 450 points, which is the 45th overall pick. The Dolphins have picks 36 (worth 540 points) and 50 (worth 400) in the second round, though Denver could throw in its fourth-round pick to even out a trade for the 36th pick.

Again, it could have been just two old friends talking. And, let's be honest, would Paton really let everybody know if we was working on a deal with the Dolphins?

This  is the time of year when every little morsel will get scrutinized, analyzed and overanalyzed.

It doesn't make it any less interesting.