Kelly: Should the Dolphins be listening to trade offers from contenders? | Opinion
The toe tag hasn’t officially been placed on the Miami Dolphins’ season just yet.
Despite the 2024 team’s 2-6 start, which includes being swept by the Buffalo Bills, making winning the AFC East nearly impossible unless something tragic happens to Josh Allen in the coming weeks, this season still has a pulse.
Miami can rally and win seven or eight of the final nine games, much like they did in 2021 when a Tua Tagovailoa-led team won eight of nine down the stretch to get back into the playoff picture.
That hope, that belief that this team might turn this season around, makes it unlikely that the Dolphins will be sellers by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. trade deadline.
Plus, it’s hard to imagine general manager Chris Grier will pull the plug on this team, trading a couple of players for draft picks at this point, mainly because it’s not as if his future is secure.
Why would Grier acquire extra draft picks for the next GM when he likely needs this team to turn the season around to potentially save his job?
But Grier’s history indicates he’s always willing to listen, and if that’s the case here’s five players teams that are contending should consider calling about.
▪ Receiver Jaylen Waddle: Grier has previously stated Waddle’s off the table, but that was before Miami signed him to an extension that will pay the former first-round pick $109 million through the next five seasons. Based on his production this season — 310 yards and one touchdowns off 28 receptions — Miami should consider moving Waddle if another team is willing to offer a top-50 selection. Waddle is being paid like an alpha receiver, but we haven’t seen much playmaking from him, and that’s with and without a healthy Tagovailoa. This decision comes down to whether Miami feels it is getting adequate bang for its buck from Waddle. A receiver-starved team like Baltimore, or maybe Pittsburgh might view him as the missing ingredient.
▪ Defensive lineman Calais Campbell: Campbell’s last-minute signing saved the Dolphins season because the 17-year veteran has been one of the team’s most consistent, and reliable performers thus far. Campbell, who has contributed 28 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and three pass deflections in his 237 defensive snaps, signed a below-market deal with the Dolphins because he thought they would be a contender. Now that it’s clear the Dolphins aren’t Miami should consider doing him a solid and trade the 38-year-old to one — think Detroit or Baltimore — for anything better than a fifth-round pick. Campbell’s removal from the Dolphins defense would absolutely decimate this team, especially with Zach Sieler sidelined by his eye injury. But trading Campbell would also position the Dolphins to secure an earlier first-round pick.
▪ Safety Jevon Holland: Holland was the only Dolphins standout eligible for an extension who didn’t get one this offseason, and that’s telling. It either means the four-year veteran is asking for too much, or the Dolphins are uncertain he’s worth the investment. Either way, Miami could avoid a Christian Wilkins-esque breakup next offseason by moving the injured safety now. Problem is, the Dolphins will likely get a 2025 compensatory pick for losing Holland next offseason if he signs a respectable contract. And what team is trading for a player on an expiring contract, outside of the Dolphins, who did just that when they acquired pass rusher Bradley Chubb two years ago and then signed him to a five-year, $110 million deal.
▪ Offensive lineman Terron Armstead: Armstead is having his best season as a Dolphins player, anchoring one of the best offensive lines Miami’s has had in years. The prevailing thought was that this could be the 33-year-old’s last season in Miami because of his age and injury history. The Dolphins even drafted his replacement in Patrick Paul this summer. Miami could speed up Paul’s development and get ahead of difficult conversions it will likely have with Armstead this offseason by moving on from him now, sending him to an offensive tackle-needy contender like Minnesota.
▪ Tailback Raheem Mostert: Let’s get this clear. Nobody is trading for the Dolphins’ sloppy seconds. If a contender feels it is trying to make a run at a Super Bowl and is a tailback away the contender would want Mostert and not Jeff Wilson Jr., who hasn’t been active in weeks. Despite his two costly fumbles, which contributed to Miami’s losses against the Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills, Mostert’s still a productive starting-caliber tailback. Mostert, who has gained 214 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns on his 55 carries, is still a dangerous outside zone runner who could help a team like San Francisco overcome its injuries at the position.
This story was originally published November 4, 2024 at 11:02 AM.
