The Miami Dolphins don’t have anything left to play for this season other than pride. There are individual accolades at stake, and Miami’s roster has several players worthy of consideration for recognition. But the team itself? This season was mathematically over a week ago in Pittsburgh.
Playing for pride got off to a bad start on Sunday, as the Dolphins crumbled amid a 45-21 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium.
But something else is afoot, as well. The Dolphins are playing the game within the game as the season reaches the final chapters — and not just with their choice to bench quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. They’re playing for more than just a few attempts at prideful wins to close this season, and it is a wise move by interim general manager Champ Kelly.
Dolphins sit down WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for Week 16, signaling bid for compensatory pick
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (18) makes a catch against New York Jets safety Isaiah Oliver (26) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium.Rich Storry-Imagn Images
Wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine did not dress for Sunday’s matchup against the Bengals. For a casual fan, it would seem to be an indictment of a season that’s been underwhelming, to say the least. The former Tennessee Titans pass catcher signed a two-year contract in Miami this past spring and has promptly flopped. He’s posted 11 receptions for 89 yards through the first 14 games.
But there’s more behind Westbrook-Ikhine not playing in this game than a poor season. He’s also the critical piece of the puzzle for the Dolphins getting an extra draft selection this fall.
You see, the Dolphins are on the bubble of getting a compensatory draft choice awarded for the departure of safety Jevon Holland in free agency this past spring. To seal the deal, Miami needs to ensure its own free agent class does not have too many qualifying players. Westbrook-Ikhine is firmly on the bubble, but part of the calculus for who qualifies is playing time.
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Teams projected to receive early
compensatory picks (via OverTheCap)
Third-round compensatory picks: Minnesota (Sam Darnold), Philadelphia (Milton Williams), Pittsburgh (Dan Moore)
Fourth-round compensatory picks: San Francisco (Aaron Banks, Charvarius Ward), Pittsburgh (Justin Fields), Detroit (Carlton Davis), Las Vegas (Trevon Moehrig), Philadelphia (Josh Sweat), New Orleans (Paulson Adebo)
Dolphins would receive a 2026 fourth-round compensatory pick for Jevon Holland if WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine falls below the qualifying free agent threshold (determined by snap counts)
By sitting Westbrook-Ikhine this week (and presumably each of the next two), the Dolphins are aiming to dip Westbrook-Ikhine’s playing time enough to prevent him from qualifying as a free agent gained in the league’s formula for players gained and lost each season. And, assuming they’ve played it right, the Dolphins will be in line ot receive a fourth-round draft choice at the end of the round for losing Holland.
Compensatory picks are the NFL’s method for offsetting free-agency losses. The league’s cap structure aims for parity, and an open market in which players can negotiate to play for any team leaves some teams vulnerable to becoming talent pipelines for others. The teams that let more talent go than they sign are awarded with extra draft choices relative to the size of the contracts they’re losing.
Holland’s three-year, $45 million contract with the Giants is a sizable one, hence why a fourth-round pick is possible. The Dolphins and their interim GM, Champ Kelly, seem to know it. Hopefully, they’ve decided to make their play for this pick before Westbrook-Ikhine played too many snaps to become a qualifying free agent.
Miami, as we saw on Sunday against the Bengals, will need all the young talent it can get in 2026. But now, at least, we have even more evidence that this team, despite telling us it’s all about the now, does indeed have an eye on the future, too.
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This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Dec 22, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.