Where things stand with Dolphins with trade deadline. Defensive news by position
Unlike Major League Baseball, fire sales are highly uncommon in the NFL when teams fall out of playoff contention.
But if the Dolphins (1-6) continue to lose, they could relocate a few players — more likely on defense than offense — before the NFL’s Nov. 4 trade deadline. Miami has two games before the deadline: at Atlanta on Sunday and Oct. 30 against Baltimore.
As NFL Network and the Miami Herald reported last week, the Dolphins aren’t inclined to trade Jaylen Waddle. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said teams who have inquired about Waddle have been told that Miami “has no interest in trading him.” The same is believed to be the case for running back De’Von Achane.
But the Dolphins could be open to trading one or more of their edge defenders.
“While things can change, it seems far more likely Miami would be willing to deal an edge rusher [perhaps Matt Judon, Bradley Chubb or Jaelan Phillips],” Rapoport reported.
Judon was a healthy scratch in Sunday’s 31-6 loss to Cleveland and could net a late-round conditional pick in return. He has no sacks or tackles for loss in 123 defensive snaps, and Pro Football Focus rates him 98th of 108 edge players this season.
Phillips, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent in March, could command a mid-round pick. After missing parts of the past two seasons with a torn Achilles and torn ACL, Phillips has two sacks and two tackles for loss in seven games, well off his career averages.
Chubb has four sacks and five tackles for loss but no sacks and just six total tackles in the past two games — losses to the Chargers and Browns.
PFF ranks Phillips and Chubb 55th and 80th, respectively, among 108 edge players.
The decision on who to trade — or whether to trade anyone — will extend beyond the desk of general manager Chris Grier.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus, during his weekly Sunday night insider segment on Fox 7, noted that owner Stephen Ross, president Tom Garfinkel and Ross’ son-in-law, experienced sports executive Dan Sillman, “will be very involved in deciding” the team’s trade deadline approach.
Among that group, Ross hasn’t agreed to an interview this decade, and the Dolphins have not made Garfinkel available to discuss football matters because that’s outside his general responsibilities.
McDaniel said Friday that any Dolphins trade rumor was “baseless, currently.”
The Dolphins’ defense stiffened in the second half against Cleveland and held the Browns to 3.2 yards per carry on 33 attempts – a big improvement for a unit that had allowed 5.5 yards per carry entering the game.
Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw for just 102 yards.
Some notes on the Dolphins’ defense, by position:
▪ Defensive line: Zach Sieler played 47 of Miami’s 57 defensive snaps on Sunday, while Jordan Phillips played 32, Kenneth Grant 30, Benito Jones 24 and Matthew Butler 12.
PFF graded Grant as Miami’s best defensive lineman (and seventh-best defender overall) on Sunday. He had back-to-back run stops in one sequence.
Of 22 players who logged defensive snaps Sunday, PFF rated Butler 13th, Sieler and Jones tied for 15th and Jordan Phillips last.
▪ Outside linebacker/edge: Miami gave 46 snaps to Jaelan Phillips, 39 to Chubb, 25 to Chop Robinson, 6 to Quinton Bell (who was elevated from the practice squad to replace Judon on the game-day roster) and 1 for Cameron Goode.
PFF rated Chubb Miami’s best player on defense on Sunday, Phillips 17th and Robinson 18th. Chubb had five tackles, a quarterback hit and a tackle for loss.
Phillips and Tyrel Dodson had Miami’s two sacks. Robinson didn’t pressure the quarterback on any of his 14 pass-rushing snaps.
▪ Inside linebacker: Dodson and Jordyn Brooks each played 56 of Miami’s 57 defensive snaps. Brooks led Miami with nine tackles and leads the league with 75. But he allowed all four passes in his coverage area to be caught for 36 yards.
Willie Gay Jr. played three snaps and has logged just 20 defensive snaps in seven games after starring in training camp.
▪ Safety: Ashtyn Davis was the only Dolphins player who logged all 57 defensive snaps, and PFF rated him Miami’s second-best player on Sunday, in between Chubb and Brooks. Davis permitted completions on both targets against him, for 18 yards.
Minkah Fitzpatrick played 52 snaps and allowed a 23-yard completion in the only target against him.
Rookie Dante Trader Jr., who missed a tackle that set up the Chargers’ game-winning field goal eight days ago, went from playing 34 defense snaps against Los Angeles to none on Sunday. Ifeatu Melifonwu’s defensive snap count rose from two to 23.
▪ Cornerback: The Dolphins continued alternating Jack Jones and Ethan Bonner, with Jones playing 34 defensive snaps and Bonner 20. Rasul Douglas played 51 snaps and Juju Brents and practice squad player Kendall Sheffield played six apiece.
PFF rated Bonner Miami’s fourth-best player overall Sunday (and best cornerback) and rated Douglas the worst (and 21st overall).
Gabriel was 0 for 1 targeting Bonner and 1 for 3 (for 1 yard) against Jones, who had one tackle for loss but also missed a few tackles.
Here’s my Monday piece on Tua Tagovailoa’s regression and notes by position on offense.
Here’s a piece on Stephen Ross standing by McDaniel, per NFL Network.
This story was originally published October 20, 2025 at 12:47 PM.
