Miami traded guard Justin Smiley to Jacksonville for a…
Miami traded guard Justin Smiley to Jacksonville for a conditional 2011 seventh-round pick. Smiley started only five games for the Jaguars before his NFL career ended. The pick became No. 218, and Miami later packaged it in the draft-day move that produced Charles Clay and Frank Kearse. Clay became a four-year offensive starter and receiving threat for the Dolphins, turning a minor veteran sale into substantial downstream value.
Jacksonville Jaguars Received
- player Justin Smiley
Miami Dolphins Received
- pick 2011 7th round pick (218th overall subsequently traded, Ryan Taylor )
Trade Analysis
Why Jacksonville Acquired Smiley
The Jaguars traded a conditional 2011 seventh-round pick to Miami in May 2010 for veteran guard Justin Smiley. Jacksonville wanted competition and experience on the interior offensive line. Smiley had been a regular starter in San Francisco and Miami, but injuries had become a concern, which explains why the acquisition cost was so low.
What Smiley Gave Jacksonville
The move did not deliver the durable line help Jacksonville hoped to receive. Smiley appeared in five games in 2010 and started all five, but that was the final season of his NFL career. For a seventh-round pick, five starts are not worthless, yet the Jaguars received only a short-term return from a veteran who was unable to stay available.
How Miami Reused the Pick
The conditional choice became No. 218 in the 2011 draft. Miami later packaged No. 218 with No. 179 and sent both to Green Bay for picks No. 174 and No. 231. The Dolphins selected Charles Clay at No. 174 and Frank Kearse at No. 231. Clay became the major payoff, developing into a versatile receiving tight end and H-back who caught 161 passes for 1,809 yards over four Miami seasons.
Why the Downstream Value Matters
Miami did not simply draft a seventh-round player and hope for the best. The club used the pick as part of a trade-up that helped land a multi-year offensive starter. That direct draft chain gives the original Smiley transaction much more hindsight value than the initial compensation suggested.
Final Verdict
Miami Dolphins Win. The Clay-linked return earns Miami an A-. Jacksonville receives a D+ because Smiley supplied only five starts before his career ended. A tiny acquisition cost became meaningful long-term value for the Dolphins.