Much debate has centered around the Dolphins’ reported efforts to sway Jadeveon Clowney into coming to play in Miami. The question? Why would a team in rebuild mode flip a draft pick (or picks) to bring in a player that could help the team win now? Isn’t the team trying not to win in 2019?

First of all, the Dolphins have only been trying to tell people that they’re not tanking since February. They want to win football games — but they’re prioritizing building the roster in an economically responsible way first and foremost. Stinking so bad that you fail into the first pick isn’t a plan to build a team.

And so when the cost of Clowney becomes one that the Dolphins feel is far cheaper than what his impact can be on the field, it makes sense that the Dolphins — who are loaded with draft picks for 2020, by the way — would pursue him.

The Dolphins’ roster needs a number of cornerstone players in order to serve as the foundation for a rebuild. The good news? They already have a few. Here’s a checklist of “must-haves” for the Dolphins’ roster before their rebuild can be considered ready to proceed.

Lockdown corner – CB Xavien Howard

Nothing to see here. This is a well-established strength of Miami’s: a game-changing ball-hawk who can play lockdown coverage on all comers in the secondary.

Blindside pass protector – LT Laremy Tunsil

This is the primary reason Tunsil is so unlikely to be a part of any trades. Simply put, the Dolphins need him. Not to mention he’s young, he’s a homegrown talent and he’s still getting better. Tunsil should be considered the only offensive keystone already on the roster.

Franchise quarterback – To be determined (Josh Rosen? Tua Tagovailoa? Justin Herbert?)

Life would be so much easier if Josh Rosen rose to the occasion and proved the Cardinals wrong — balling out this year rapidly accelerates the Dolphins’ reclamation project. But even if he doesn’t, the Dolphins will be well-positioned to draft a quarterback. Miami is very unlikely to pick outside the top 12 unless Josh Rosen goes nuts. If Rosen has a big season, great! The team doesn’t need a quarterback. If the Dolphins are picking inside the top 12, they can stand pat or trade up into position to lock in a QB; there are several great prospects in this year’s class.

And with the Washington Redskins, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals all looming as the biggest competition to pick high, the Dolphins will likely have ample suitors to trade with should it come down to moving up for a QB.

Primary pass rusher – To be determined (Jadeveon Clowney?)

Remember, the Dolphins tried to sign Trey Flowers this March in a move that would have cost the team $18-20 million per year on a contract and the team’s 2020 third-round compensatory pick for losing Ja’Wuan James in free agency.

Fast forward to today and the Dolphins are exploring adding Clowney, who could potentially be had for a veteran player and (potentially) a 2020 third-round pick before signing him to a contract between $18-20 million per year.

And Clowney is the better player.

Alpha offensive weapon – To be determined

Preston Williams? Let’s slow down. Kalen Ballage? Hold your horses. Albert Wilson? A phenomenal complementary receiver — but not a likely candidate to run volume through in the passing game. And so the Dolphins have a clear need here and no potential resolution this season.

This isn’t even to mention promising young talents like DL Christian Wilkins, DL Davon Godchaux, LB Jerome Baker, DB Minkah Fitzpatrick — all of whom combine to provide the Dolphins with a healthy young nucleus on defense. Offensively, the team will certainly need to continue to address the offensive line, hopefully adding one or two more plus starters up front. But interior offensive linemen aren’t too hard to find if you actually commit to doing so. And their draft investment is fairly low-priority, too.

The Dolphins blueprint in a perfect world could see Miami enter the 2020 Draft with a first, two seconds and one third-round pick, an upstart Rosen and Clowney on the roster, leaving four of their five keystone positions already filled as a rebuilding roster.

Or, in consideration of the pessimists, Miami could enter the 2020 Draft still in need of a quarterback, a pass rusher and a primary pass catcher and in need of trading up in order to strike a quarterback, compromising their picks in the 2020 Draft. There’s much at stake over the next eight months and Miami’s ability to find answers to these cornerstones will dictate the pace of the rebuild.