San Francisco sent Miami the No. 12 pick in 2021, first-round…
San Francisco sent Miami the No. 12 pick in 2021, first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, and a 2022 third-rounder to move up to No. 3 for Trey Lance. Lance started only four games for the 49ers before they traded him to Dallas for a 2024 fourth. Miami immediately recycled No. 12 in another trade and retained enormous additional capital. The quarterback gamble failed, making the Dolphins the overwhelming winner.
Miami Dolphins Received
- pick 2021 1st round pick (12th overall subsequently traded, Micah Parsons )
- pick 2022 1st round pick (29th overall subsequently traded, Cole Strange )
- pick 2023 1st round pick (29th overall subsequently traded, Bryan Bresee )
- pick 2022 3rd round pick (102nd overall, Channing Tindall)
San Francisco 49ers Received
- pick 2021 1st round pick (3rd overall, Trey Lance )
Trade Analysis
What Changed Hands
In March 2021, San Francisco acquired the third overall pick from Miami. The 49ers sent the No. 12 selection that year, first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, and a 2022 compensatory third-rounder. San Francisco used No. 3 on North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance. Miami immediately used the newly acquired No. 12 pick in a separate trade with Philadelphia, while the remaining future selections gave the Dolphins exceptional flexibility over the next two drafts.
Why Miami Won
The Dolphins received a massive premium for moving down nine spots. Even without assigning every downstream player from later trades directly to this transaction, the value of two additional first-round picks and a third-rounder is enormous. Miami could redirect those assets in other deals, convert them into players, or use them to shape multiple draft classes. The trade gave the Dolphins optionality at the most valuable part of the draft while avoiding the risk attached to a single quarterback prospect.
How San Francisco Fared
The 49ers made the move because they believed Lance could become a franchise quarterback, and that position can justify aggressive spending when the player hits. He did not. Lance started only four games for San Francisco across two seasons, with injuries interrupting his development before Brock Purdy seized the job. In August 2023, the 49ers traded Lance to Dallas for a 2024 fourth-round pick. That recovery was tiny compared with the capital originally spent to acquire him.
Final Verdict
Miami earns an A+ and San Francisco an F. The Dolphins received one of the richest draft packages of the era and preserved the ability to turn those selections into several different forms of value. The 49ers paid three first-round selections plus a third for a quarterback who made four starts and was later moved for a fourth-rounder. The miss at the sport's most important position makes the grade gap unavoidable.