Dolphins Meet With Kenny Vaccaro
Kenny Vaccaro will visit the Dolphins on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This marks Vaccaro’s first known visit of the offseason. 
With the ability to play both safety and slot cornerback, we had Vaccaro ranked as one of the best safeties in this year’s free agent crop. Unfortunately, the market has sagged for that entire position group. Many of this year’s top safeties had to settle for inexpensive deals and a some remain unemployed, including Vaccaro, Tre Boston, and Eric Reid.
Evaluations of Vaccaro’s ability may differ. A first-round pick in 2013, Vaccarro has turned in three exemplary seasons and two lousy years. In 2017, Pro Football Focus rated Vaccaro as the single-worst safety in the league among 87 qualifiers. But, given his draft pedigree and his ability to man the slot, Vaccaro was still expected to land a quality deal.
The Dolphins project to start T.J. McDonald and Reshad Jones at safety, so Vaccaro would be looking at a bench role in Miami.
Dolphins Trying To Meet With Rashaad Penny
- Although the Dolphins have already signed veteran Frank Gore to pair with incumbent Kenyan Drake, the club will be open to selecting another running back in the draft, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. Indeed, Miami has been attempting to schedule a pre-draft visit with San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny, but finding an open date has been difficult given that Penny has already set up many meetings with other teams. Penny (5’11”, 220) rushed for a whopping 2,248 yards in 2018, averaging 7.8 yards per carry while scoring 23 touchdowns on the ground.
Dolphins To Host Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield
Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen will have a Top 30 visit with the Dolphins on Thursday and Friday, Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets. The Dolphins will also meet with Oklahoma signal caller Baker Mayfield on Thursday.
The Broncos, who hold the No. 5 overall pick, recently became the latest team to meet with Allen. Opinions are split on the 6’5″, 230-pounder, but he is almost universally regarded as one of the four best QB prospects in this year’s draft.
Mayfield, also a member of this year’s big four along with Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen, has also proven to be a divisive prospect. The Oklahoma product has been knocked for potential character issues and his lack of size, but his on-field performance has been strong as a whole.
Currently slated to pick at No. 11, the Dolphins and head coach Adam Gase have been heavily linked to this year’s quarterback prospects. Miami, of course, deployed Jay Cutler as its starting signal-caller in 2017 after Ryan Tannehill went down with a knee injury. Tannehill should be available for the upcoming campaign, but the Dolphins still seem interested in adding a potential upgrade.
NFL Draft Rumors: Patriots, Key, 49ers
After losing Nate Solder in free agency, the Patriots are on the lookout for offensive tackle help. With that in mind, the Patriots hosted Texas tackle Connor Williams on a visit on Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Thanks to the Brandin Cooks trade earlier this offseason, the Pats are armed with two picks late in the first round. Williams could be available when the Pats are called to the podium at No. 23, though the league-wide need for tackles could result in the 6’6″ lineman going higher.
Here’s the latest batch of NFL draft news:
- LSU outside linebacker/defensive end Arden Key worked out for the 49ers on Wednesday and will move on to the Raiders on Thursday, Rapoport tweets.
- South Dakota State tight end Dallas Goedert, who could be the first tight end to come off of the board, visited the Dolphins on Wednesday, Rapoport tweets. Miami is reportedly high on him, but he has also met with the Seahawks, Chargers, and Lions, according to Rapoport. As previously reported, the Vikings met with Goedert last week.
- Cornerback Isaiah Oliver has had workouts/visits with the Eagles, Falcons, Bears, Texans, 49ers, Cardinals, Panthers, Patriots, Saints, Broncos, and Cowboys, sources tell Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Miller personally believes that he would be a great fit for Arizona. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah has Oliver ranked as the 36th best prospect in this year’s draft and it would be no surprise to see him go in the first round.
- Georgia running back Nick Chubb will visit with the Buccaneers on Wednesday, according to Josh Norris of NBC Sports (on Twitter). Chubb has been lauded for his power and ability to run on the inside and figures to be a second round pick.
- The Lions hosted Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson for a visit on Tuesday, Rapoport tweets. Johnson was recently bumped from Jeremiah’s top 50 but should still garner consideration in the second round.
Dolphins To Sign LB Terence Garvin
The Dolphins are signing former Seahawks and Redskins linebacker Terence Garvin, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Garvin started in three games last year, but he has made his name as a special teams standout. 
Garvin, 28, entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of West Virginia in 2013 and spent the first three years of his career with the Steelers. He then went on to play for the Redskins in 2016 and the Seahawks in 2017.
Last year, Garvin saw the most defensive playtime (18%) of his career in 2017 due to injuries. All in all, he tallied nine tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble in 15 games for Seattle.
Garvin will serve as a reserve for the Dolphins while their search for a third starting linebacker continues.
NFL Draft Rumors: Rosen, Dolphins, Hurst
Is UCLA star Josh Rosen the top quarterback in this year’s draft? Josh Rosen thinks so.
“I’m the best QB in the draft,” Rosen told Sam Alipour of ESPN The Magazine. “A lot of guys are flashier, but I think I’m the most efficient, monotonously consistent QB in this draft. Rodgers has some flair, but if you watch Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, there’s nothing that’s explosive or Johnny Manziel — like. It’s just quarterbacking.”
Rosen has gotten some flack for his willingness to speak on social issues and interests outside of the game of football, but he says that he is focused on winning games and titles at the next level.
Here’s more draft news:
- South Carolina tight end Hayden Hurst had dinner with Dolphins brass on Tuesday night and has a top 30 visit with the team on Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Dolphins are in need of a tight end as Julius Thomas and Anthony Fasano remain unsigned. Hurst, a former pro baseball player who walked on as a tight end for the Gamecocks, may have the most upside of any tight end in this year’s draft.
- Key members of the Seahawks brass including GM John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll spent Tuesday at Arizona St. privately working out Texas A&M wide receiver Christian Kirk, Rapoport tweets. The Seahawks lost Paul Richardson to free agency this year and could use an impact player like Kirk to replace him. For now, Seattle projects to start Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett and also have offseason pickups Jaron Brown and Marcus Johnson in the mix. With the No. 19 pick in their possession, the Seahawks could be in range for the Aggies star.
Dolphins Like Three Defenders At No. 11
- The Dolphins have their sights set on a defensive player with pick No. 11, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that club is hoping to select Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith, Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, or Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea in the first round. Defensive backs Derwin James (Florida State), Minkah Fitzpatrick (Alabama), and Denzel Ward (Ohio State) could also be in consideration, per Jackson, while the Dolphins also like South Dakota State tight end Dallas Goedert, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (although Miami almost surely wouldn’t use a top-15 pick on a tight end). The Dolphins would prefer to select a quarterback at No. 11, but don’t expect any of the draft’s top four QB prospects to be available.
Dolphins Did Not Agree To Anderson-For-James Deal
On Monday, it was reported that the Broncos and Dolphins agreed to a deal sending running back C.J. Anderson to Miami in exchange for right tackle Ja’Wuan James trade before Miami 86’d the deal. However, Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald (on Twitter) hears that the Dolphins did not want to make that deal and there was no such agreement in place. In any case, James remains on board as the Dolphins’ starting right tackle and the Broncos have since acquired Jared Veldheer from the Cardinals via trade.
Goedert Has Multiple Dolphins Meetings
- South Dakota State-developed tight end Dallas Goedert will have spent plenty of time with the Dolphins by the time draft weekend arrives. He’s already worked out for Dolphins brass in South Dakota and will visit Miami this week, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. One of the top tight ends in the draft, Goedert has also visited the Vikings. The Dolphins are in need of a tight end, having cut Julius Thomas and submitted an unsuccessful waiver claim for Clive Walford.
Dolphins Nixed James-For-Anderson Trade?
The Dolphins dangled right tackle Ja’Wuan James in trades before pulling back and seeing his fifth-year option vest. During one of those in discussions, the Broncos reportedly offered a familiar name to Dolphins brass.
Troy Renck of Denver7 reports the Broncos and Dolphins had a verbal agreement on a C.J. Anderson-for-James trade, but Miami nixed the deal. This would be an interesting exchange considering the Dolphins designed Anderson’s contract by creating a four-year, $18MM offer sheet the Broncos matched in 2016. Miami was reportedly interested in Anderson if Denver made him a free agent.
Two years and no guaranteed money remain on Anderson’s deal, and the sixth-year player has manageable $4.5MM cap numbers the next two seasons. Adam Gase and Eric Studesville coached Anderson in Denver, with Studesville now Miami’s running backs coach after a long run with the Broncos. Denver determined in March it wasn’t going to release its longtime starter, but it may still be open for business on an Anderson deal. Devontae Booker and De’Angelo Henderson are the Broncos’ other backs.
The Broncos landed another right tackle via trade when they acquired Jared Veldheer from the Cardinals for a sixth-round pick. As of now, Veldheer has one year and $6.9MM left on his deal. James will make $9.341MM on the Year 5 option this season and has fared much better than Veldheer at right tackle, although each has struggled with injuries in recent years.
James, 25, has started for four seasons with the Dolphins, while the Broncos have had a different right tackle starter in Week 1 in each of the past five seasons. Veldheer may well extend that streak to six. The Dolphins moved to add Frank Gore at a cheaper rate — $1.1MM — and he will join Kenyan Drake in their backfield.
The Broncos’ primary ball-carrier since the 2014 season, Anderson is coming off his first 1,000-yard campaign. The 26-year-old running back successfully bounced back from a meniscus tear by playing 16 games last season. Renck writes a trade could still occur and wonders if the Broncos would augment their backfield through the draft in that event. Denver brought San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny in for a visit last week.