The Dolphins are heading toward 2026 with a receiver room that already looks thin, but that didn’t stop them from moving on from Tutu Atwell. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the deal as Miami sending Atwell back to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for running back Jarquez Hunter.
"Trade: Dolphins traded WR Tutu Atwell back to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for RB Jarquez Hunter, sources tell ESPN," Schefter reports.
At first glance, it reads like a strange choice for a team that needs more help at wideout, not less. Miami already had made another eyebrow-raising move by cutting ties with Tahj Washington, who is now with the Philadelphia Eagles. And with the Dolphins expected to head into the 2026 season in rebuild mode, the idea of subtracting another receiver seems even harder to square.
But Atwell’s role had already been trending toward the margins. He didn’t record a catch in the preseason, despite three targets, and the lack of production left him with very little momentum in a crowded competition for spots.
The Dolphins now appear set to lean on a group that includes rookies Chris Bell, Caleb Douglas and Kevin Coleman Jr., along with veterans Jalen Tolbert and Malik Washington. That’s the shape of the room Miami seems headed for in 2026, and while it still looks like a work in progress, Atwell was not shaping up to be a major part of it.
The running back side of the deal is less obvious. Miami’s depth chart already includes De’Von Achane, Jaylen Wright and Olli Gordon II, plus Donovan Edwards and others. Even so, with Achane likely being held out of the preseason finale and Gordon dealing with an injury, Hunter gives the Dolphins another body for the last preseason game and possibly a fourth back on the roster.
And given Atwell’s preseason line - no catches on three targets while fighting for a place on the team - it’s fair to wonder how much value Miami could have expected in return anyway.
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