The Miami Dolphins have spent this stretch tearing things down, moving on from Jaylen Waddle, cutting ties with Tua Tagovailoa, Bradley Chubb, and Tyreek Hill as the roster gets reshaped for a rebuild.
Even with that kind of overhaul, there are still players on the roster who carry real value. De'Von Achane, Aaron Brewer, Chop Robinson, Patrick Paul, recent first-rounders Chris Johnson and Kadyn Proctor, and new quarterback Malik Willis all have something to offer Miami.
Still, when ESPN’s Bill Barnwell tried to sort out which Dolphins players would be worth at least a first-round pick in a trade, the names he landed on were not the ones many would have expected.
"One first-round pick: DT Kenneth Grant, OT Patrick Paul, OT/G Kadyn Proctor," Barnwell projects. "... Missing out: RB De'Von Achane, C Aaron Brewer, LB Jordyn Brooks, CB Chris Johnson, Edge Chop Robinson."
Paul making the list is hardly a shock. He has already shown he can be a quality offensive tackle, and that’s the kind of player plenty of teams around the league would line up to get.
Proctor is an easier call too. As a recent top-12 overall pick from the 2026 NFL Draft, it would be more surprising if he did not carry first-round value.
Grant’s inclusion is the one that stands out most, especially after the struggles he had this past year. And the players left off the list - Achane, Brewer, Brooks, Johnson, Robinson, and maybe even Willis - make the whole exercise a little more interesting.
Achane’s omission fits the way the league usually treats running backs, even one with his contract: $64 million over four years. That position just does not tend to bring back first-round value in trades.
The same logic applies to Brooks and Brewer. Off-ball linebackers and centers can be excellent players, but they usually are not priced like first-round picks.
Johnson is a more curious miss. He was just taken in the first round of this past draft, though he was a late first-rounder, and teams may view him as more valuable in the context of a future class that could be stronger at the top.
Robinson and Willis are the two trickier cases. Willis probably makes the most sense as the player less likely to fetch a first. He is still a major unknown at quarterback, and while he could turn out well, paying a first-round pick for that kind of uncertainty is a steep ask.
Robinson has a stronger case. He is a former first-round edge rusher who has shown promise and could appeal to a contender looking for help in a trade. Even so, with his rookie deal nearing its end, it is understandable why Barnwell would stop short of valuing him at a first.
All told, it is a pretty unusual trio for Miami to have worth a first-round pick. But Paul, Proctor, and Grant are young, and Barnwell clearly sees enough upside in that group to put them in that tier.
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National Outlook On Dolphins Rebuild Is Even Worse Than Fans Feared
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What stands out is how wide the range of expectations has become. The preview video pegs Miami with a ceiling of seven wins and a floor of one, while panelist Bucky Brooks was the lone voice projecting the Dolphins to clear the 4.5-win total set by oddsmakers. It is the kind of early forecast that says more about the uncertainty around this transition than any finished judgment on where the Dolphins are headed. [Read more 🡒]