The Miami Dolphins’ 2025 season is unraveling quickly and that could lead to the team being a seller at the NFL trade deadline.
The Dolphins fell to 0-3 on Thursday night after a brutal loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins actually put up a fight against Buffalo, but a late Tua Tagovailoa interception thwarted their upset bid.
Through three games, the Dolphins have more players-only meetings (one) than they have wins (zero) and Miami is now on a crash course for a lost season.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano put out a list of potential trade targets to keep an eye on in the next month plus before the deadline and he listed wide receiver Tyreek Hill and edge rusher Jaelan Phillips.
Graziano’s thoughts on a Hill trade are as follows:
But he’s still a 31-year-old receiver with no guaranteed money on his deal beyond this season and a base salary of $10 million that wouldn’t be tough for another team to take on. Last season was the first time since 2019 that he didn’t crack 1,000 yards, and he was at 959. And he has 15 catches for 198 yards and a touchdown this season.
A complicating factor is that Hill could potentially face league discipline in the form of a suspension if the NFL investigates the recent accusations of domestic violence his ex-wife has made and finds him in violation of the personal conduct policy.
And here’s what Graziano said about Phillips:
Another 2021 first-round pick playing out his fifth-year option with no deal beyond 2025, Phillips could be a very interesting target for pass rush-needy teams if the Dolphins fall out of contention and decide they aren’t going to keep him long term.
He has had trouble staying healthy, but he’s healthy right now, and a prorated portion of his $13.251 million salary wouldn’t be too onerous in a league in which everyone’s always looking for edge rushers. Phillips had 15.5 sacks over this first two seasons in the NFL before injuries limited him to 12 games over the next two years.
With the end of the Mike McDaniel era seemingly drawing near, the Dolphins would be wise to make moves at the trade deadline to help kickstart a rebuild.
Phillips is in the final year of his contract and while he has had injury issues over the course of his career, he plays a premium position and should draw plenty of interest and a strong return on the trade market.
When healthy, Phillips has proven to be a difference-maker. Over his first 42 games in the NFL from 2021-23, Phillips posted 22 sacks.
As for Hill, it’s not so cut and dry.
The Dolphins wide receiver is facing domestic violence accusations from his estranged wife, which leaves him at risk of a suspension from the league.
While that suspension might not come in 2025, if at all, Hill is also under contract in 2026, so a possible ban will be a concern then, too, until the league clears him.
Whatever the case may be, the Dolphins should be looking to trade anything that isn’t nailed down. Hill and Phillips could both garner late Day 2 or early Day 3 selections, which would be invaluable to Miami’s inevitable rebuild.
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