The Miami Dolphins have spent this season living in the same neighborhood as the NFL’s worst teams, but a new wrinkle in Indianapolis could end up mattering just as much for their draft outlook as anything happening in South Florida.
Miami sits at 1-7, and while the preseason doom talk around the Dolphins was loud, they’ve at least been competitive. Around them, though, the race for the No. 1 overall pick in April 2027 has gotten crowded in a hurry. The Los Angeles Chargers are 0-8, the Tennessee Titans are 1-7, the Philadelphia Eagles are 2-7, and the Indianapolis Colts are also 2-7.
The Colts are the fascinating piece here because they don’t actually own their first-round pick. Indianapolis sent its 2026 and 2027 first-rounders, along with wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, to the New York Jets for cornerback Sauce Gardner.
At the time, the Colts were 7-2 and acting like a contender. Since then, they’ve gone 1-7 to close last season and are 2-7 this year, leaving them 3-14 since the deal - a turn of events that has been more than a little satisfying for Jets fans.
What makes this especially relevant now is the Colts’ handling of Daniel Jones. After falling to 2-6 last week, Indianapolis shipped out top offensive lineman Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks for draft picks, then moved defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers. That set off a full-blown fire-sale conversation, with Jones, Jonathan Taylor, and Josh Downs all popping up in trade chatter.
Downs and Taylor now appear likely to be moved before Tuesday’s deadline. Jones, though, is staying put. According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, the Colts have told him he won’t be traded.
That matters because if Indianapolis had dealt Jones and turned to backup Anthony Richardson or third-stringer Riley Leonard, the path to a total collapse would have been easy to see. In a vacuum, that might not mean much for Miami. But the Jets own the Colts’ first-round pick, and that changes the whole equation.
The Dolphins’ best-case scenario here is simple: the Colts keep Jones on the field and win enough games to keep that pick from drifting toward the very top. If Jones helps Indianapolis stack a few more victories, Miami will have every reason to appreciate it.
In Other News...
Chop Robinson Is Giving Dolphins Fans A Very Intriguing Problem
Chop Robinson has already turned a limited sample into one of the more interesting development stories on Miamis defense. The Dolphins edge rusher has been productive when he gets after the quarterback, piling up 30 total pressures on 166 pass rushes and showing the kind of burst that can change a game even without a huge workload.
The wrinkle for Miami is simple: there have not been many chances to unleash him. Because opponents have thrown so little against the Dolphins this season, Robinsons opportunities have been capped, but the production is loud enough to make you wonder what it could look like if his role grows. For a defense always looking for more disruption off the edge, that is the kind of problem worth having. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Put A Frustrating Problem At The Center Of Their Lions Loss
Penalties ended up sitting at the center of Miamis loss to the Lions, and head coach Jeff Hafley made it clear afterward that the Dolphins made life harder on themselves than Detroit did. The flags repeatedly put the offense behind the chains and chipped away at any chance to settle into a rhythm, turning a competitive game into one where Miami kept having to dig out of avoidable mistakes.
Hafleys frustration was rooted in how familiar the problem felt, because the Dolphins have seen this kind of self-inflicted damage before and know it can wreck a game plan fast. With the margin in the AFC so thin, the message coming out of the loss was less about one bad night and more about a habit Miami cannot afford to let linger if it wants to stay on track. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Should Be Careful Judging Malik Willis Right Now
Malik Willis remains the Dolphins starting quarterback for the 2023 season, even as some fans have pushed for a change. The bigger picture around his first year in Miami is less about a quick verdict and more about the circumstances he has been asked to navigate, from a weak supporting cast to the general uncertainty that comes with a team still trying to sort out its long-term direction.
Miamis front office is clearly treating Willis as a possible answer beyond this season, but that does not mean the evaluation is finished or simple. With injuries and roster questions hanging over the offense, the Dolphins are left weighing what they have seen against what they still need to see, all while knowing the next turn could come through the draft, free agency, or a different answer altogether. [Read more 🡒]