The Miami Dolphins have completely collapsed this season, falling to a 1-6 record to start the year and looking like a team out of sync and without answers. The on-field play has been tough to watch, the play calling has been questionable at best, and the results have been embarrassing. The Dolphins are nearing rock bottom on a year where they should have been able to compete for a wild card playoff position.
As the Dolphins continue to struggle, the NFL trade deadline approaches, and the rumors are starting to swirl. Will the Dolphins become sellers ahead of the November 4 deadline, sending away proven players to begin stockpiling draft picks? Or will they hold on to players in a hope that the team will turn around and save the jobs of head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier?
Whatever route the Dolphins decide they are going to go, Grier is likely to be taking phone calls for several Miami players. According to an ESPN article on Tuesday, Miami might actually have two of the biggest names available on the trade market.
Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler put together their list of the top 25 players who could be moving this year. In the introduction to the article, they stress, “Players are ranked here by the potential value they’d provide a new team if traded — not their likelihood of actually being dealt.”
Could Miami move its top (healthy) wide receiver?
The number two player on the list, trailing only the Cincinnati Bengals’ edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, is Miami wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Bowen and Fowler see the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants as possible landing spots for Miami’s 2021 sixth-overall draft pick. They only rate the chance of a trade as a 10 percent possibility, but they explain the high ranking, writing:
The buzz: This is a similar situation to Hendrickson; the team does not plan to trade the player but interest is there. While Miami could be tempted to trade players due to its 1-6 record, Waddle is a building block on offense, and he’s due $36.1 million in cash over 2025-26 — reasonable in today’s high-end receiver market. Multiple league execs expect the Dolphins’ no-trade stance to stand barring a surprise. — Fowler
The tape: A rapid accelerator with explosive-play ability, Waddle fits best in a system that schemes catch-and-run targets (crossers, in-breakers, screens) and vertical throws. Over his career in Miami, 16.8% of Waddle’s receptions have gone for 20 or more yards, while he produced 38.6% of his total receiving yardage after the catch. He has 405 yards and three TDs this season. — Bowen
The speculation of a Waddle trade continues to grow, especially with the Giants as a possible landing spot. However, if Miami were to trade Waddle, they would likely expect a huge bounty back for the receiver, who is only 26 years old and has three 1,000-yard receiving seasons in the four he has played.
The Dolphins have depth at edge rusher, but does moving a player entering his prime make sense?
Miami is not done with the number two trade target, however, as they also show up with the eighth-ranked player. Edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, the 18th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, could find himself on a new team, according to Bowen and Fowler. Giving this deal a 30 percent chance to be completed, they see the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, and Detroit Lions as possible fits for Phillips. Of the possibility, they write:
The buzz: Phillips and teammate Bradley Chubb have circulated in trade rumors. Multiple teams I spoke with believe that Phillips would hold more value than Chubb due to upside. A string of injuries stalled his rising star status, but he’s working his way back. But there’s this: Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said last week that any Dolphins trade rumors are “baseless, currently.” — Fowler
The tape: Injuries have reduced Phillips’ explosiveness and range. But he has the physical tools that teams look for on the edge. With his long 6-foot-5 frame, Phillips can play as both an edge setter and pocket disruptor. He has 25 sacks and 117 pressures over his five-year career. — Bowen
Phillips has dealt with injuries throughout his career in Miami, but he is still a player who is only entering his prime. If Phillips and second-year edge rusher Chop Robinson are able to play up their potential, the Dolphins could be set at the position for years to come. However, Phillips is approaching the end of his rookie contract and would need a new deal after this season. Is that enough to push Miami into moving him in hopes of bringing back draft picks?
Is there a move to bring in a player that makes sense for the Dolphins?
It was not all sell for Miami in the article from Bowen and Fowler. Miami landed as one of the teams, along with the Steelers, Giants, and New England Patriots, who could make sense to go after Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. They give the possibility of the Raiders making a deal a 35 percent chance and wrote of Meyers:
The buzz: Meyers wanted a new deal before the season and didn’t get one despite a trade request. He appears poised for 2026 free agency. He leads the Raiders in targets (42) despite missing Week 7, and he is drawing interest at an ideal time for a Raiders team in transition. But there’s no consensus leaguewide on exactly what the Raiders will do. Multiple execs told me they believe Las Vegas is open to a deal but is not actively shopping him. Another, however, believes the Raiders would prefer to wait until after the season to make any sweeping changes, due in part to the presence of Pete Carroll. The type of offers that roll in over the next two weeks could determine the course of action here. — Fowler
The tape: At 6-foot-2 and 193 pounds, Meyers is a physical route runner who is willing to work the heavy traffic areas of the field, and he can separate from man coverage. He had 87 receptions for 1,027 yards in 2024 and can elevate a passing game in need of an intermediate target. — Bowen
Should Miami consider trying to land the undrafted free agent who has turned himself into a 1,000-yard receiver? Like Phillips, Meyers would require a new contract as he is playing on the final year of his three-year contract with the Raiders.
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