The Dolphins didn’t make the playoffs at 5-11. They wouldn’t have made the playoffs if they’d gone 1-15, obviously. But they would have been in position to get the guy they covet most at the top of the draft.
Per a league source, the Dolphins covet LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft.
Specifically, the guy who signs the checks -- owner Stephen Ross -- is the one who wants Burrow. It’s unknown at this point whether coach Brian Flores and/or G.M. Chris Grier agree.
The Dolphins have the draft capital to try to make a move from No. 5 to No. 1, if they want to. But anything they’d need to add to the fifth overall pick to get the Bengals to voluntarily slide back by five spots underscores the reality that, if they’d simply embraced the 0-7 start and allowed it to continue, they’d be able to get Burrow and keep all of their other draft picks and players.
Look at how the 49ers benefited from going 4-12 last year. It got them the second overall pick, and defensive end Nick Bosa instantly has become one of the best defensive players in the league.
Absent a trade, the Bengals will use the first pick, and quite possibly will take Burrow.