Over the last week or so, the Miami Dolphins have been in the eye of a very stormy hurricane that is the NFL trade deadline. Other notable players include Dolphins pass rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb, and Patriots edge rusher Matthew Judon. According to recent reports, the franchise should trade one or more of these players in order to retool their starting five.
The Dolphins are just coming off an ugly firing of General Manager Chris Grier. In his stead, they promoted Champ Kelly to interim GM for the remainder of the season. This unexpected move comes as stirrings continue about the underperforming team and their direction heading into the 2024 season.
At the time, Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel had called trade speculation regarding his players “baseless.” On Friday morning, he found his way to a slightly more grounded vibe. The sharp shift in tone and style seems to mirror the justifiable need to fix the ship before it completely sinks.
Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky weighed in on the situation, asserting that the Dolphins’ difficulties stem from roster issues rather than coaching. He vigorously defended McDaniel’s leadership during a short period while the swirling rumors were still mostly speculation.
“But my main focus is coaching the players, and part of coaching players is having them understand that it’s not personal.” – Mike McDaniel
The closer the trade deadline comes, the more probable a major roster shake up seems to be. The Dolphins have a number of players under contract whose deals would make these players challenging targets in trades. Of the trio, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle has been the most electric. So far he has logged 41 receptions for 586 yards while finding the end zone four times. Moving Waddle will be near impossible. His future earnings—around $40 million in 2026 and 2027—add to that though, making the situation tricky.
Waddle’s contract is currently guaranteed for over $16.6 million in 2026. In 2027 he’ll be paid another $15.2 million. The monetary consequences of such a trade would render it a tricky pursuit for Miami.
Even the talk around potential trades highlights the intense pressure on the franchise to return to relevancy after an abysmal stretch in the last decade. With a new interim GM at the helm, Kelly will be forced to swim through these churning waters.
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