Dolphins edge rusher Jaelean Phillips should be a top target for the Colts ahead of the NFL Trade Deadline

Jaelan Phillips' struggles with injuries in recent years

Dolphins' former first-round draft choice Jaelan Phillips is in the final year of his rookie contract and playing on the fifth-year option in 2025. As you'd expect from a former 5-star recruit, he's got a prolific athletic profile — even amid two season-ending injuries in each of the last two seasons. 

Phillips suffered a torn Achilles tendon in a Black Friday showcase in 2023 in the middle of what was a breakout third season of play in the NFL. He made a triumphant return in time for the start of the 2024 regular season last year but suffered a partially torn ACL courtesy of a friendly-fire hit from safety Jordan Poyer in Week 4. 

Why the Dolphins could trade Jaelan Phillips

The path to Phillips looking like his pre-injury self has been a long one. But he appears to be back. No, he doesn't have the raw sack numbers of his running mate, Bradley Chubb, this season, but he's been an exponentially more impactful and disruptive pass rusher. He still showcases an effective first step and appears to be re-collecting the bend that made him so dangerous at the top of the arc off the edge.

Miami's awful start to 2025 has this team asking some hard questions about the future, though. The team slashed some payroll this season and looks to be in line to do the same again in 2026 as they transition their football operation into a new rebuild. Accordingly, it's fair to ask whether or not Phillips, who will now be in line for a second contract, will be a piece of that puzzle or not. With an offer good enough, Miami could quite easily pivot their plan for any budgeted future cash to Phillips and disperse it to another player or save the money for a salary cap reset. 

Why Jaelan Phillips makes sense for the Colts

On paper, some may think the Colts don't need to add an edge rusher. As a team, they have 16 sacks through the first six weeks, which is currently tied for the fourth most in the NFL. Of their 16 sacks, only seven have come from their edge room, though. The team has seen Laiatu Latu put up a strong start to the year in terms of winning reps and creating pressures, but sadly, he only has one sack to his name after six weeks.

The team has multiple solid role players behind Latu, but they lack another player who can consistently create pressure. If the Colts add a player like Phillips opposite of Latu, it could be tremendously valuable for both players. Both have shown the ability to get to the QB this year, but both have struggled to finish plays with sacks. Like Latu Phillips, only has one sack on the year, and ironically, they also have the same amount of QB hurries on the year with 14, which is tied for the sixth most in the NFL.

Latu has a very impressive 24.7% win rate this season off the edge. Notable players he has outplayed in this regard include Trey Hendrickson (21.8%), Jared Verse (20.9%), and Nik Bonitto (20.8%). Phillips isn't quite as high as those players, but he still has an impressive win rate of 17.7%, which is higher than Joey Bosa's (17.3%) and Maxx Crosby's (15.2%). Having two players winning at such a high rate off the edge, paired with DeForest Buckner at DT, would give the Colts a very tough defensive line to stop. It's also worth noting that Phillips would probably cost significantly less than some of the bigger-name edge rushers people are throwing around as trade targets. So, making this type of deal would make it more likely that the Colts could try to add a CB before the deadline.

How much would the Dolphins need to trade Jaelan Phillips?

As far as what Miami would take? Given the historical precedent of pass rushers at the trade deadline, the Dolphins would likely be hoping to acquire a conditional draft choice that lands in the middle rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. A conditional 4th-round pick that could upgrade with production, playing time, and/or an extension in Indianapolis could make sense for both sides. The Dolphins receive a decent draft pick to move forward with a potential rebuild, and the Colts acquire a pass rusher who likely has not yet played his best football.