The Miami Dolphins’ 19-9 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday did more than drop them to 1-7. It also kicked off a tense stretch for a roster that could look different by Tuesday afternoon.
The NFL trade deadline hits at 4 p.m. Tuesday, and a few familiar names have already entered the conversation. Defensive lineman Zach Sieler and offensive tackle Austin Jackson are among the Dolphins veterans drawing trade speculation as Miami continues a major roster rebuild.
Sieler, 31, and Jackson, 27, have combined for 15 seasons with the Dolphins. But with the team sitting at 1-7, the front office could decide to turn some of those veteran pieces into future assets.
For the players themselves, that possibility hangs over everything.
Jackson, the No. 18 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, has started 67 games at four different spots along Miami’s offensive line. He started every game but one in 2023, when the Mike McDaniel era was at its high point. Now he finds himself on the other side of that rise, with the Dolphins tearing things down and reshaping the roster around him.
At his locker Sunday, Jackson made it clear he appreciates what Miami has meant to him, no matter what comes next.
"I want to go wherever wants me," Jackson said. "I love the Dolphins. I’ve loved my time here."
He made a similar point last week when talking about the "end of my career." What he wants is simple: a place where he’s part of the plan.
That’s the hard part for players in situations like this. They spend their careers controlling almost every detail of their routine - training, conditioning, recovery - and then suddenly the biggest decision is out of their hands.
Josh Uche is dealing with that uncertainty, too.
The 28-year-old edge rusher has put together one of the best seasons of his NFL career. He has started seven games for Miami this year, which is one more than he started across his previous six NFL seasons combined.
For now, Uche is preparing as if he’ll still be with the Dolphins when they face the Indianapolis Colts next week.
"I’m just going to go home, take care of my body and hang with my peoples," Uche said. "I’ll attack the day as if I’m going to be here."
In Other News...
Dolphins Fans Are Sending A Clear Message Despite Another Loss
The latest loss to New England left Miami at 1-6, another rough checkpoint in a season that has offered far more frustration than momentum. Even so, the mood around the team has not turned nearly as sour as the record might suggest, with a strong majority of fans still backing the Dolphins direction after Week 9.
That support matters because the schedule is hardly easing up. Miami now turns to a Detroit team that arrives with a winning record and the kind of confidence that usually exposes lingering flaws, which makes the next stretch feel less like a reset and more like another test of how much patience remains. [Read more 🡒]
Jacob Rodriguez Is Giving Dolphins Fans A Reason To Keep Watching
With the season going sideways at 1-6, the Dolphins have needed a few reasons to keep the focus on the future, and rookie Jacob Rodriguez has become one of them. The second-round pick stepped into a starting role from the opening week and has quickly looked like a player worth building around, bringing energy and production to a defense that has spent much of the year under pressure.
Rodriguez has already made his presence felt with steady tackling, a takeaway and a forced fumble, enough to put him in the mix as one of the leagues more intriguing first-year defenders. His coverage still needs work, but the early returns suggest Miami may have found a long-term piece, and the rest of this lost season may end up serving as a showcase for how far he can go. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Bring Heavy Emotion Into Dolphins Matchup After Jack Campbell Injury
The buildup to the Lions matchup with the Dolphins carried a heavier tone than usual after linebacker Jack Campbell suffered a serious neck injury and has remained hospitalized since. Campbell later released a statement saying he has regained movement in his lower body and is making progress with his upper body, a welcome update that gave the team and its fans something to hold onto amid a difficult stretch.
Detroit made sure Campbell was front of mind around the game against Miami, turning the day into a show of support for one of its key defenders. The gesture underscored how much the injury has affected the locker room, and it added an emotional layer to a matchup that already had plenty riding on it for the Dolphins as they watched a wounded opponent rally around one of its own. [Read more 🡒]