The Miami Dolphins are playing the long game. They’ve said so for months and the actions of the team throughout the 2019 offseason have proven their words to be fact, not fodder. But with the acquisition of QB Josh Rosen throwing the Dolphins’ rebuild for something of a loop, the Dolphins are playing with a little bit of house money at the quarterback position.

If Rosen ends up being the answer — that’s still very much yet to be determined — the Dolphins will have stolen a quarterback of the future for pennies on the dollar and will then shift to fleshing out the rest of the roster. But why can’t that process start now either way?

The Dolphins have pulled pages from the playbook of the New England Patriots left and right from a roster building perspective — why not take another. The Dolphins should look into trading for a player who is entering the final year of his contract — Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue.

Is Ngakoue even available? Who knows. But you don’t know until you ask — and the Jaguars’ decisions in their last two 1st-rounds — picking DL Taven Bryan and EDGE Josh Allen — seem to indicate they anticipate losses up front. Miami’s pass rush has the potential to cripple their defensive play in 2019 and Ngakoue and his 29.5 sacks in three seasons would serve as a huge boost in that area.

Due just over $2M in 2019, Ngakoue has voiced his dissatisfaction with his current contract and has not been in attendance for Jaguars’ summer workouts to date, although he has openly said he will not hold out for a new deal.

But the Jaguars are going to need to find room to pay Ngakoue and Jalen Ramsey — with less than $10M in salary cap space available to them. Jacksonville is in a precarious spot. Do they even have the cash to hand out a long-term contract to Ngakoue and Ramsey, on top of the cash they’re paying Nick Foles, A.J. Bouye, Calais Campbell and others?

What would a trade look like between the two teams? Jacksonville’s free safety position seems to be in pretty sorry shape — would the Jaguars have any interest in a lightly used Reshad Jones? No, the Jaguars are not going to trade Yannick Ngakoue for Reshad Jones straight up. Not even close. But could Jones — valued as a 4th or 5th round value at this point in his career — be a piece that helps supplement a deal? What if Miami packaged that 2020 2nd-round pick they landed from New Orleans (almost certainly a pick in the late 50s or later, given New Orleans’ expectations as a Super Bowl contender) with Jones, what is the reaction?

The Jaguars at least come back with a counter offer from there, right? Perhaps it’s enough to get a negotiation started. Ngakoue won’t command as much on the trade market as what the Seahawks got for Frank Clark — a 2019 first, a 2020 second and a swap of 2019 thirds. Clark is a more complete player. A reasonable return for Ngakoue would be along the lines of what the 49ers gave up for Chiefs rusher Dee Ford — who is cut from the same cloth as Ngakoue. Ford was traded to San Francisco for a 2020 2nd-round pick while on the franchise tag this offseason.

Make the call, Miami. Let’s make a deal.