Linda » The Dolphins have the 13th pick, which probably

MIAMI (AP) — Since last season the Miami Dolphins have parted with their top three quarterbacks Devin Bush Jersey , their leading rusher and top receiver, three veteran defensive ends and three starting offensive linemen, while adding no marquee free agents.They went 7-9 in 2018 and are widely expected to be worse next season. Heading into the draft, the Dolphins’ odds for winning the Super Bowl are 250 to 1, longest in the NFL.Even so, they say they’re not tanking under new coach Brian Flores, who replaced Adam Gase.“From Day 1, when we made the change, we talked about building the foundation and building it up the right way,” general manager Chris Grier says. “So that’s all it is. There’s no tanking.”Flores bristles at the word.“To disrespect the game and use that term, it stirs something inside of me Diontae Johnson Jersey , to put that nicely,” Flores says.So the Dolphins say they want to win now. But as they pare payroll and stockpile 2020 draft picks, personnel decisions are being made with the goal to win later.Here’s how that approach will dictate decisions in the draft:QUARTERBACKSThe Dolphins haven’t been to the Super Bowl since the 1984 season, and in that time they’ve drafted one quarterback in the first round.Coincidence?Probably not, but the trend is unlikely to change this year. puts the potential franchise QBs out of reach. So they’re expected to wait until 2020 to use their top choice on a quarterback, which is why a lot of losses this season could have a huge long-term payoff in the form of a high pick.Well-traveled veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick signed in March, and the Dolphins acknowledge he’s merely a caretaker QB.“At that position, you can never be satisfied until you have the guy you really feel can give you a chance to win a championship,” Grier says.Fitzpatrick replaces Ryan Tannehill, who failed to deliver a playoff win as the only quarterback to be drafted in the first round by Miami since Dan Marino.IN CHARGEGrier joined the Dolphins as a scout in 2000 Justin Layne Jersey , which happens to be the most recent season they won a playoff game.While Miami has been mired in mediocrity, Grier has climbed the company ladder and was promoted in February to oversee football operations. He has had final say on draft choices the past three years, but says he emphasizes collaboration.“I’m not going to force a coach to take a player, because that doesn’t work,” Grier says. “It creates animosity and distrust.”Chances of a war room clash between Grier and Flores are slim because they’ve enjoyed a long friendship. Each started his NFL career as a scout for the Dolphins’ AFC East nemesis, New England.NOT SEXYThe Dolphins will need a lot of bulk to rebuild. Draft prognosticators have listed at least 10 offensive and defensive linemen as potential first-round picks by Miami.The draft is deep in defensive linemen, and the best bet is Miami will take one from Clemson, with former Tigers teammates Clelin Ferrell and tackle Christian Wilkins both possibilities.MOVING DOWN OR UPThe Dolphins might continue their accumulation of 2020 picks — they now have 10 — by trading down in the first round.With so many roster holes to fill, it’s unlikely they’ll trade away multiple picks to move up.“If there is a guy there that we like this year that we feel we need to go get, yeah, we will be aggressive trying to get him Benny Snell Jr. Jersey ,” Grier says. “But we’ll also be smart about it. There is a limit to what you should do.”RECENT HISTORYBad draft decisions are a big reason for the Dolphins missing the playoffs 15 of the past 17 seasons. They haven’t had a first-round pick make the Pro Bowl since center Mike Pouncey, who was drafted in 2011. TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jameis Winston threw for 363 yards, including a 39-yard scoring pass to Chris Godwin with nine seconds remaining, to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers snap a five-game losing streak with a 31-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints.The playoff-bound Saints (11-5) entered the day hoping to clinch their first NFC South championship in six years. They wound up winning the title anyway, with Carolina (11-5) losing its regular season finale at Atlanta.Trailing 24-23 with 1:58 remaining, Winston moved the Bucs (5-11) 95 yards in 11 plays for the winning TD.He converted a fourth-and-10 from his own 5 yard line with a 12-yard completion to Cameron Brate and threw 9 yards to Mike Evans on third-and-1 to keep the drive going at the Tampa Bay 35.The fourth-year pro, who was intercepted three times, found Godwin racing up the right sideline just ahead of Saints cornerback Ken Crawley to put the Bucs ahead for good.Alvin Kamara scored on a 106-yard kickoff return and had a second touchdown rushing for the Saints, who took a 24-20 lead midway through the fourth quarter when Zach Line caught a 3-yard TD pass from Drew Brees.Patrick Murray, whose missed an extra point in the second quarter was the difference on the scoreboard when Winston launched the winning drive Zach Gentry Jersey , made a 42-yard field goal to help the Bucs pull within 24-23 with four minutes left.Kamara, who’s teamed with Mark Ingram to give New Orleans the only tandem in NFL history 1,500-plus scrimmage yards and more than 10 TDs in the same season, wiped out an early 7-0 deficit with his kickoff return.The rookie’s 7-yard TD run on the Saints’ first offensive possession made it 14-7.The touchdowns were the 13th and 14th of the season for Kamara, who has eight rushing and five receiving in addition to the second 100 yard-plus kickoff return for a TD allowed by Tampa Bay in two weeks.Winston led a pair of 75-yard scoring drives in the opening half, but was also intercepted twice before halftime.Brees turned one of the mistakes into the Saints’ first touchdown, throwing 43 yards to Michael Thomas to set up Kamara’s TD run that finished a 65-yard drive. The New Orleans finished 22 of 30 for 245 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.Godwin has seven receptions for 111 yards. Adam Humphries had seven catches for 102 yards.INJURIESSaints: None reported during the game.Buccaneers: S T.J. Ward left with a knee injury and did not play in the second half. … T Caleb Benenoch injured an ankle during the first half but returned. He limped off for good a sore knee in the second half.UP NEXTSaints: First playoff appearance since 2013.Buccaneers: Coach Dirk Koetter, who’s 13-18, was told before the finale that he will return for a third season.