What's going on in Chris Grier's mind these days?
Plenty.
Don't for a minute though think he's going to let you in.
Doesn't work that way only days now before the draft.
Grier, the Dolphins' General Manager, spent about 25 minutes talking to the local media early Thursday afternoon via a ZOOM conference call. He answered all the questions politely. He spoke in generalities more than specifics.
This is the game within the game. Always has been. To think you're going to get some nuggets of gold out of Grier or any other person in his position around the league is no more than wishful thinking.
Play it close to the vest. Don't give away what you're really thinking. Maybe plant a seed or two to disguise your true intentions. But never show your cards. Not even a glimpse. That's the way it is in every NFL city.
And later he added, "We feel good about eight or nine players" for that No. 5 overall pick.
No, he wasn't going to pare it down any further than that. But even though there were no huge headlines to come out of Grier's final pre-draft press conference, what stood out most to me was something Grier said toward the very end when asked about the big-picture importance of this draft, and the next one, when the Dolphins have a combined five first-round picks.
"If you get it right, make the right picks and the smart picks, we have a chance to build a strong team here for a long time."
Yes, Chris Grier gets it. He understands what makes this draft so important. He sees it both through a short-term lens and a long-term vision and clearly is embracing the opportunity that now stands directly in front of him. What more do you need to know?
Grier, you see, is a power broker in this draft. He has three first round picks as evidence. And two in the second round. And 14 picks overall. And so much of the entire draft, certainly the first round, depends on the decisions he makes. But also know this. While his word is final, he has an impressive cast of advisors to call upon. He will listen to their feedback carefully because there is a trust factor here that can't be over emphasized.
Look at someone like Marvin Allen, the team's assistant general manager and Grier's right hand-man. Allen ran the Chiefs' college scouting operation for four years before going to the Bills. He knows how to draft and who to draft. As does Reggie McKenzie, the team's senior personnel executive who has a wealth of experience after spending seven years as general manager of the Raiders. McKenzie knows talent. His opinion will carry plenty of weight with it.
Then there's Coach Brian Flores, who was heavily involved in many of the drafts in his 15 seasons with the Patriots. If you don't think Flores will have a big say in this draft, well then you don't understand the depth of his relationship with Grier and the respect they have for one another.
Finally, there are all of those area scouts that become even more invaluable given the travel restrictions so you can see the quality of resources at Grier's disposal.
What makes this year different is that none of them will be at Grier's side when he selects, so the feedback and the pressure-packed discussions must come by video hook-ups.
It's not the ideal scenario by any means, but part of the new world in which we now live. It'll be challenging enough for the teams with only one selection in the first round. But three first round selections? Made in the solitude of your own home? With an entire fan base anxiously peaking over your shoulder?
I'm sure it'll be an experience unlike any Grier has ever had.
"It'll be different," he says, "but we're ready to go."
Hard to believe, after how long we've waited, it's finally less than one week away.
"We have an idea of who we like," Grier said.
And later he added, "We feel good about eight or nine players" for that No. 5 overall pick.
No, he wasn't going to pare it down any further than that. But even though there were no huge headlines to come out of Grier's final pre-draft press conference, what stood out most to me was something Grier said toward the very end when asked about the big-picture importance of this draft, and the next one, when the Dolphins have a combined five first-round picks.
"If you get it right, make the right picks and the smart picks, we have a chance to build a strong team here for a long time."
Yes, Chris Grier gets it. He understands what makes this draft so important. He sees it both through a short-term lens and a long-term vision and clearly is embracing the opportunity that now stands directly in front of him. What more do you need to know?
Grier, you see, is a power broker in this draft. He has three first round picks as evidence. And two in the second round. And 14 picks overall. And so much of the entire draft, certainly the first round, depends on the decisions he makes. But also know this. While his word is final, he has an impressive cast of advisors to call upon. He will listen to their feedback carefully because there is a trust factor here that can't be over emphasized.
Look at someone like Marvin Allen, the team's assistant general manager and Grier's right hand-man. Allen ran the Chiefs' college scouting operation for four years before going to the Bills. He knows how to draft and who to draft. As does Reggie McKenzie, the team's senior personnel executive who has a wealth of experience after spending seven years as general manager of the Raiders. McKenzie knows talent. His opinion will carry plenty of weight with it.
Then there's Coach Brian Flores, who was heavily involved in many of the drafts in his 15 seasons with the Patriots. If you don't think Flores will have a big say in this draft, well then you don't understand the depth of his relationship with Grier and the respect they have for one another.
Finally, there are all of those area scouts that become even more invaluable given the travel restrictions so you can see the quality of resources at Grier's disposal.
What makes this year different is that none of them will be at Grier's side when he selects, so the feedback and the pressure-packed discussions must come by video hook-ups.
It's not the ideal scenario by any means, but part of the new world in which we now live. It'll be challenging enough for the teams with only one selection in the first round. But three first round selections? Made in the solitude of your own home? With an entire fan base anxiously peaking over your shoulder?
I'm sure it'll be an experience unlike any Grier has ever had.
"It'll be different," he says, "but we're ready to go."
Hard to believe, after how long we've waited, it's finally less than one week away.
