I didn't say don't draft TE's. I said don't draft TE's to fill needs. DB's are more expensive than TE's, though.
Dolphins have the need for #1 TE, They do not have one on the roster. They cannot get one in free agency. They cannot get one in a trade. The best they can get is #2 or even #3 quality tight end, and they can get one by paying the price of #1 in a competitive marketplace.
Maybe having a couple of #2 TEs is good enough. Bama played with Cameron Latu and he is not #1 TE quality, and maybe that is good enough in our run and shoot offense, but it is not good to overpay for the position in free agency just because you need better tight ends because you will still have a void at #1 quality TE, you won't solve the problem and you will overpay in free agency.
#1 tight ends are rare, there is only one spot on offense for a tight end and there are only a few, a couple, one, none that can be selected in the draft each year. It's akin to QB position. There are 3 starting spots for corners, linebackers. Those positions are available in abundance in the draft and free agency.
I don't know how important TE is in our run and shoot. Maybe WR#3 is more important or even critical. But I would expect that we will run the ball and a TE is needed for blocking and as a passing threat in option reads; that we will run 2-wideout sets and a TE is important in the passing game in those sets. And I would presume that the #1 TE is needed to run all that rather than to mix and match peronnel and signal the play calling pre snap to defenses. In any case, we do not have #1 TE on the roster, and it is doubtful whether Smythe and Long are even good enough to be #2. We will not get one in a trade, and we will not get one in free agency, We need to draft one.
And to hit on one, they need to select one based on frame, athleticism, and production. All of it. Not just looking at the film and saying I like this guys.