Miami Dolphins Trade Deadline: 5 Moves They Need to Make
The NFL’s trade deadline is one of the milder deadlines among America’s major sports leagues. A few teams attempt to make moves for a playoff or championship push, but it is never too exciting. Miami, however, could make fans very happy by moving veteran players for future draft capital.
MOVE Jaylen Wright
Running back Jaylen Wright has been disappointing in his tenure with the team. A former 3rd-round selection, his athletic traits matched the high-flying skill of Mike McDaniel’s offense at the time. Unfortunately, he has shown few flashes and hasn’t been on the field enough to make his case for more touches. As the season nears the mid-season mark, players are feeling the effects of wear and tear. Jaylen Wright’s special-teams ability is potentially the main way he can make an impact, and someone may take a chance on him. He may only fetch a 7th-round selection, a far fall from his 3rd-round mark, but with Ollie Gordon showing out as a true “RB1,” it may be worth moving on from Wright.
MOVE Austin Jackson
The former 1st round pick out of USC has had his ups and downs with the Miami Dolphins. Thankfully, when healthy and playing right tackle, he has been an above-average run blocker. He is an elite athlete who creates lanes by moving well in space. Jackson has always been an iffy starter at best, but he’s truly declined in 2026. He looks slower and less balanced. It isn’t the end of the world, nor is it shocking, but Miami would benefit from moving on and hoping to send him to a tackle-needy team. Austin Jackson would likely fetch a 6th-round pick, and that would be plenty for him at this point.
KEEP Zach Sieler
Many want to see him go, probably because he’d fetch the best draft pick of any non-rookie contract player on the squad. Unfortunately, it may not be that clear-cut for an aging interior defensive lineman. Sieler is productive and has a high motor, but he would never fetch a day 1 or 2 pick. He is likely valued in the 5th-round range, with maybe a Super Bowl-hopeful team willing to pay up for the veteran. Sieler is effective enough to stay with the team for the next few years, at worst as a rotational piece. Final verdict: keep him unless a team offers a projected top 150 selection in 2027’s draft.
MOVE Jalen Tolbert
Unfortunately for the Dolphins, Tolbert hasn’t played up to the standard many expected. He built an early connection with Malik Willis in training camp, but it never carried into the regular season. If Miami can deal him to a team for a future 7th-round pick, it would be amazing.
BUY Young Bubble Players
The Dolphins have been in tryout mode since the end of last year. All the 1-year prove-it deals make sense, and so would buying young roster-bubble guys who may be on the chopping block. Miami has done it recently, claiming Kaytron Allen, trading for Jarquez Hunter and Caedan Wallace. They should keep finding those types of players before the trade deadline. 7th-round draft selections shouldn’t be held in high regard, and this team needs to strike whenever they can. Players that come to mind include safety Quan Martin and receiver Kayshon Boutte. No addition would be a bad addition to this Dolphins roster!