Miami, FL
What to expect from the Miami Dolphins at 2024 NFL Draft, CBS News Miami’s Steve Goldstein
MIAMI GARDENS – The 2024 NFL draft is coming up in Detroit and the Miami Dolphins have a first-round draft pick for the first time since 2021. They select 21st and then again in the 2nd round at pick number 55. General manager Chris Grier and his staff, barring trades, will then have to wait until the 5th round to get involved again. The Dolphins have one 5th-round selection, two 6th-rounders, and a 7th for a total of six draft picks. Grier has a history of wheeling and dealing, so it would not be a surprise at all if there were trades before the draft to move up or down to get more picks.
Grier Hits
Before the last two drafts where the Dolphins did not have a first-round draft pick, Chris Grier had a solid first round run. Going back to 2019 with a selection of Christian Wilkins and continuing over the next two years, the Dolphins picked Tua Tagovailoa, Austin Jackson, Jaylen Waddle, and Jaelan Phillips. The one ‘miss’ was Noah Igbinoghene, but the Dolphins knew he would be a project at the 30th overall selection.
Cap Crunch
The salary cap makes it imperative that the Dolphins hit on that 21st pick and their second-round pick at number 55. After not having those first-rounders the last couple of years, it is important for the team and its salary structure to have productive players on their first professional contracts.
Need or Best Player
It is the age-old debate in professional sports drafts. Do you draft for a position of need or simply take the most talented player? Luckily for the Dolphins, this year it appears some of the best players are also at the positions they need to fill. The first-round pick being used on an offensive lineman would make sense. Standout guard Rob Hunt left in free agency and left tackle Terron Armstead may not play beyond this season. Getting an offensive lineman who could perhaps play guard this year and then slide out to left tackle at times during this season or permanently down the road would be a great fit.
Wilkins Void
Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins had a career year and got paid that way by Las Vegas. The Dolphins moved quickly to sign a handful of veteran defensive tackles in free agency, but there is a good possibility of selecting an interior defensive lineman early in the draft. It would make sense for them to bring in a young player who can eventually slide in as the starter next to Zach Seiler.
Chubb and Phillips Question
Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips are both rehabbing from season-ending injuries. When they will be available this season is a question mark. Add in Andrew Van Ginkel leaving for Minnesota in free agency, and it is very possible the Dolphins use one of their first two draft picks on an edge rusher.
Receiver Depth
Tyreek Hill and Waddle form one of the best wide receiver duos in the league. The Dolphins have looked into veteran free agents to slide into the third receiver spot. Braxton Barrios returns, and the hope is that Erik Ezukanma will be back from injury. The strong thought is that Waddle will get a long-term deal, and it is unknown how many more years Hill will play at his high level. At some point in this year’s draft, you would think the Dolphins would select a receiver. And you know the head coach loves the speed of his offense so a receiver and/or other offensive playmakers are a distinct possibility.
What to Expect
When the Dolphins go to the podium to make their early selections, adding a defensive tackle, outside pass rusher, or an offensive lineman is likely. But it’s the NFL draft and the Dolphins, so always expect the unexpected.
A group of Miami residents has filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump and the state of Florida over a land giveaway for his proposed presidential library.
Almost three acres of prime waterfront land that once belonged to Miami Dade College (MDC) was illegally gifted to the US president by Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, the lawsuit states.
It cites the domestic emoluments clause of the US constitution that prohibits a sitting president from receiving any personal gain, profit or advantage from their position.
The action was brought in US district court for the southern district of Florida by the Washington DC-based Constitutional Accountability Center (CAC) on behalf of plaintiffs including an MDC student, a Miami non-profit, and residents, who state the land “is no longer available to serve MDC’s student community and downtown Miami”.
Instead, the filing states, “the land will house a Trump hotel that brings riches to the President”.
Plans for the “gaudy” project were unveiled in March, to be built next to Miami’s iconic Freedom Tower, the historical landmark and community art museum. A giant golden statue of the president will stand before a 50-story tower block that will feature the controversial $400m Boeing “flying palace” jumbo jet gifted to him by Qatar, but not yet in service, in its cavernous lobby.
At the time, Trump said the building was “most likely going to be a hotel”.
The land on which it will sit, the lawsuit said, is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
“Rather than prevent President Trump from using the gifted land for personal gain, Florida … required that the conveyed land include only ‘components of a Presidential library, museum, and/or center’, leaving the door open for the President to develop the property in any way he sees fit,” the CAC said in a statement.
The library has already been the subject of one lawsuit that claimed MDC trustees, most of them handpicked by DeSantis, erred by originally handing the land to the state in September during an unadvertised meeting with no public discussion.
The board held a do-over in December, and voted unanimously to proceed with the transfer.
The Guardian has contacted the Trump Presidential Library Foundation and DeSantis’s office for comment.
To no one’s surprise, FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami CF engaged in a scorefest May 13 at TQL Stadium.
A hat trick by one of the best goalscorers in the history of the game, Lionel Messi, sparked Miami to a 5-3 win. Miami scored three times from the 79th minute on to come from behind.
A sellout crowd of 25,513 witnessed the showdown, the club’s sixth home sellout of the season.
FC Cincinnati falls to 4-5-4, staying at 16 points, taking its first loss since April 4 at Red Bull New York. Miami improves to 7-2-4 for 25 points, improving to 7-1-1 on the road this season. Miami moved into second place in the Eastern Conference behind Nashville. Cincinnati started the night tied for fifth but could drop depending on games later on.
Second half highlights as FC Cincinnati squandered a late lead
Cincinnati took a 3-2 lead in the 64th minute.
Evander fired a rocket from the top of the 18 into the top left corner. Deneky passed ahead to him, then he maneuvered around two defenders, and no one stepped up to him. It is Evander’s seventh goal of the season.
Miami tied it in the 80th minute, 3-3.
After a Cincy turnover, Rodrigo De Paul quickly found Messi in transition, who delivered to Mateo Silvetti. Silvetti, playing his first game in a month, maneuvered in space and scored from the top of the box for his fourth of the season.
Miami took a 4-3 lead in the 83rd. A Messi free kick from 35 yds was saved by Cincy keeper Roman Celentano. He collided with Andrei Chirila, which knocked the ball out of his hands. Miami’s German Berterame pounced on the rebound to give Miami the lead, his fourth goal of the season.
Chirila landed hard after the collision and was taken out of the game.
Miami took a 5-3 lead when Messi made a sliding shot after a cross from Silvetti. The ball went off the post, then off Roman Celentano, who was on his stomach trying to get the ball, then in. Messi was credited with the goal and a hat trick.
FC Cincinnati took a 2-1 lead in the 49th minute.
Pavel Bucha scored from close range. He took a crossing pass from Bryan Ramirez after Denkey found him on the left side in transition.
It was Bucha’s second goal of the MLS season and the second assist for Ramirez. Bucha was hit in the head late in the first half and examined by trainers, but stayed in the game.
Moments later, Messi had a free kick from 30 yards saved by Celentano.
Messi scored again in the 56th minute to tie it, 2-2. He had a nice give-and-go with Rodrigo De Paul, who dribbled near the end line and crossed to him from the right side. Messi was unmarked and scored easily from near the penalty spot.
In the 62nd minute, Luis Suarez missed an open shot that Celentano saved, set up by a quick transition by Miami.
Miami ended with 17 shots to 10 for Cincinnati, six on target. After an even first half, Miami controlled the expected-goals mark, with 4 to 1.6 for the home team.
First half highlights
Messi scored from close range in the 24th off a turnover by Matt Miazga. Miazga tried to pass to a teammate on the side but the pass went straight to Messi.
He had a goal in the fifth minute waved off by offsides.
In the 32nd minute, Cincinnati won a corner kick, which Evander placed right in front of the goal line but the ball was cleared away.
In the 42nd minute, a Kevin Denkey penalty kick tied it up. Denkey drew the PK after collecting a good pass into the box by Pavel Bucha and being grabbed by Gonzalo Lujan. Denkey converted for his team-high eighth goal of the season.
The first half was tied 1-1 and virtually even on statistics. Both sides had seven shots, one on goal, and 1.1 expected goals. Neither keeper made a save.
What’s next for FC Cincinnati?
Cincinnati heads to the West Coast to play San Diego FC 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16. It is the first meeting between the teams. San Diego, 3-5-4 for 13 points, was set to play Austin later May 13. Cincinnati will leave for California on May 14.
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