The Dolphins’ record says one thing, but their place on the trade market says something a little different. Miami is 1-5, yet the roster is already in a position where the front office can think beyond the next few weeks and look for a player who could be part of the bigger picture.
That’s the key here: this is not about chasing an aging veteran for a quick fix. Names like Khalil Mack and Budda Baker don’t fit Miami’s timeline, and they wouldn’t be worth the kind of investment that usually comes with that kind of deal.
But a younger impact player at a premium spot? That’s a different conversation entirely.
The Dolphins have already done most of their roster clean-up, and the cap picture gives them room to keep operating. By 2027, they are expected to have north of $96 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap.
With first-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan earning strong belief from the fanbase, the idea is simple enough: high picks should stay in Miami’s pocket. But if Sullivan can land the right player at the right price, it’s at least worth a serious look.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay recently ran through the league’s struggling teams and pointed out several possible trade names. Most of the list is made up of older players on second contracts, but three defenders stand out as fits Miami could explore.
One of the most intriguing is Los Angeles Chargers EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu. He’s only 24, which is wild considering he’s already at the end of his four-year rookie deal.
In fact, he’s younger than two Dolphins rookies: fifth-round tight end Seydou Traore and seventh-round EDGE rusher Max Llewellyn. If Miami wants help off the edge, this is the kind of player it should be asking about.
Through six games this season, Tuipulotu has 2.0 sacks, two tackles for loss, and nine quarterback hits. His career numbers are even more eye-catching: 28.0 sacks, 41 tackles for loss, and 61 quarterback hits, along with seven forced fumbles and an interception earlier this season.
He has also missed just one game in 56 career appearances. That’s the profile of a player who could plug into a defense and matter right away.
There’s a similar logic with Tennessee Titans EDGE Jermaine Johnson II, even if the path is a little different. Through seven games this season, Johnson has 3.0 sacks, which would lead the Dolphins.
He also has four tackles for loss and six quarterback hits. The soon-to-be 28-year-old has dealt with injury issues, but he still brings 16.0 sacks, 24 tackles for loss, and 33 quarterback hits across 54 career games out of a possible 75.
The Titans may not have much else to hang onto, and if they don’t plan to commit to a major extension for Johnson, he makes sense as a potential move. He would also instantly become Miami’s most accomplished pass rusher.
And as the league keeps inflating the cost of edge talent, getting ahead of that market matters. Jaelan Phillips, who is injured again, ended up as the 10th-highest-paid EDGE in the league at $30 million a year.
That’s the price of waiting.
Then there’s Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Moro Ojomo, another player who could be available if the season keeps going sideways in Philadelphia. The Eagles have the sixth-most expensive roster in the league, yet they are 2-5 and facing 10 straight games without their starting quarterback. In that kind of situation, teams start thinking about players they may not be able to keep.
Ojomo broke out in 2025 with 6.0 sacks, six tackles for loss, and 12 quarterback hits. The numbers don’t always tell the full story for an interior defensive lineman, and Miami knows that better than most with Jordan Phillips.
Ojomo was Pro Football Focus’ 29th-ranked interior defensive lineman that season. In 2026, though, he has slipped to 91st out of 145 qualifiers by PFF.
Even so, the just-turned-25-year-old still has a track record worth checking. If the Dolphins like what they see in a potential audition, they could try to lock him up on a long-term deal before free agency hits.
In Other News...
Patriots QB Just Handed Dolphins Fans A New Reason To Laugh
Drake Maye managed to create a sideshow that had nothing to do with Xs and Os, and Dolphins fans probably noticed the timing as much as the content. During a radio appearance, the Patriots quarterback was asked about conspiracy theories and brought up a college course on the topic at North Carolina, which led him into a very strange public detour for a starting NFL quarterback.
Maye's comments landed far enough outside the usual football chatter that NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman felt compelled to respond and defend the moon landings. For a rival quarterback to hand Miami a fresh wave of amusement in the middle of a divisional storyline is the kind of off-field gift that does not help New England's credibility, even if the football implications are still to come. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Just Made Another O-Line Move Fans Will Want To Watch
The Dolphins kept working the edges of their offensive line depth chart Monday, claiming guard Christian Haynes off waivers from the Seahawks and adding another experienced option to a group that has been in constant motion. Haynes had played in seven games this season for Seattle before his exit, and Miami landed him because it held a higher waiver priority than the Ravens, who also put in a claim.
To make room on the 53-man roster, the Dolphins waived rookie sixth-round pick DJ Campbell, who had been inactive every game this season. It is another small but telling adjustment as Miami keeps sorting through its protection mix, and it leaves the team with one more new piece to evaluate as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Look Smarter And Smarter For Moving On From Jaelan Phillips
When the Dolphins moved on from Jaelan Phillips, it was easy to frame the deal as a cap-driven bet on the future, the kind of roster decision that makes more sense months or years later than it does in the moment. Miami sent the outside linebacker to Philadelphia for a third-round pick and used that selection on tight end Will Kacmarek, a move that fit a broader rebuilding approach while also clearing money for a team trying to reshape itself.
Phillips has since landed in Carolina on a four-year contract, but his path there has already been interrupted by injury issues. For Miami, the part that matters most is not just the return on the trade, but the way the situation has continued to make the original decision look more practical than risky. The Panthers are still waiting to see what they have, and the Dolphins have every reason to feel more comfortable with the direction they chose. [Read more 🡒]