A leader in the clubhouse amid the NFL's efforts to trade for Dolphins defender Jaelan Phillips appears to have emerged thanks to a new report as deadline nears

There's been a flood of intel out of Miami this evening on the heels of the split with Grier. The Dolphins, who elevated executive Champ Kelly to run the ship for the foreseeable future, appear to be working the phones this weekend thanks to a head start on their business after playing on Thursday night.

Phillips is perhaps the hottest name that's been frequently discussed as a possible trade target over the past month. He's in a contract year as a former first-round draft pick whose career production would certainly look a whole lot different had he not endured consecutive season-ending injuries in 2023 and 2024. But Phillips has seen the prime of his career marred by an Achilles tear and an ACL injury. And so now, with no long-term contract secured, Phillips has been playing while being the subject of a lot of trade speculation over the past month or so.

Jaelan Phillips' Miami Dolphins career

• Drafted 18th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft
• 26.0 career sacks in four and a half seasons with Dolphins
• Currently playing on fifth-year option of rookie contract

His defensive coordinator in 2023, Vic Fangio, is tied to the report from NFL Network insider Cameron Wolfe — the Philadelphia Eagles are apparently "in" on the trade calls and interested in Phillips. The fit is obvious, given that Phillips played some of the best ball of his NFL career for Fangio in 2023 before the Achilles injury against the New York Jets on Black Friday cut his year short. He's familiar with the scheme and terminology, too, which only further bolsters the appeal of a hypothetical in-season acquisition.

Miami, it has been reported, is looking for at least a top-100 draft pick. Now is the time to see what Champ Kelly is made of. The team's interim general manager must be hoping that the renewed interest in the Dolphins as potential sellers spurs a lot of phone calls. If it does, it could drive the demand for a player such as Phillips up.

The Eagles, per Wolfe, are interested "at the right price". It's up to Kelly and the Dolphins to find enough suitors to create a price that is right for the Dolphins, instead. If Fangio and the Eagles want Phillips so bad, Kelly needs to force them to put their money where their mouth is.

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