What to Make of the Dolphins Trade Deadline Dud

So much for this idea of a Miami Dolphins firesale, though we never really bought into it the first place.

But that they didn't make one single trade on NFL trade deadline day frankly was equally surprising.

The Dolphins did get calls for some of their players, with ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting they fielded offers for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and outside linebacker Bradley Chubb.

We maintained all along that trading Waddle for the sake of trading Waddle made little sense, given his combination of age (turns only 27 in November), production and favorable contract ($11.7 million cap number in 2026, no guaranteed salary beyond that).

As for Chubb, he did seem like a logical candidate to get moved given his age, injury history and cap number moving forward that suggests he'll be a salary cap casualty anyway next offseason.

The other players who figured to draw at least some interest included safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, edge defender Matthew Judon and cornerback Rasul Douglas, with running back Jaylen Wright's name also mentioned in certain circles.

But as we've said all along, it takes two teams to make a trade, and in the end the Dolphins never got an offer that moved them enough to want to, well, move any of those players.

Their asking price for Waddle, for example, was reported to be a first-round pick plus other considerations.

As for Chubb, it's unclear what the Dolphins wanted for his services or what they were offered, but again no deal enticed them to move on from Chubb, who it should not be forgotten is one of the leaders on the team.

THE JETS COMP

The lack of action was met with some disappointment from Dolphins fans on social media, particularly after they watched the AFC East opponent New York Jets stock up on premium draft picks.

In trading Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner, the Jets landed three first-round picks, one second-round pick along with wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.

Of course, this is where we point out that having a bounty of draft picks doesn't guarantee success because the Dolphins wound up with nine picks in the first and second rounds in the 2020 and 2021 drafts combined.

Another factor to consider is that the Jets just moved on from their two best defensive players, both of them under 30 years old.

For fans wanting the Dolphins to be able to stock up on draft picks in light of the impending rebuilding project, the reality is the team didn't have anybody on its roster who could get the kind of return the Jets got for Williams and Gardner, as evidenced by the fact teams balked at Miami's reported demands for Waddle.

With Waddle and even running back De'Von Achane — had the Dolphins wanted to go in that direction — the issue of their position also came into play because wide receivers and running backs don't fetch the same kind of a return as a defensive tackle or a cornerback.

So the Dolphins are going to continue this 2025 season with the same group that got them to their 2-7 record minus only Jaelan Phillips, for whom the Dolphins got a third-round pick from the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday.

The Dolphins always can revisit the idea of trading some of their veterans next offseason, though only those players under contract for 2026 will be eligible to get traded. One of those players is Chubb.

But there was no firesale.

If Chubb isn't back in 2026, then the Dolphins will regret not having taken a draft pick (assuming one was offered) because he won't be a free agent next offseason and therefore the Dolphins won't get a compensatory pick for him.

THE UNSPOKEN FACTOR

Not to be lost in the Dolphins' inactivity Tuesday is the status of head coach Mike McDaniel.

Remember that all reports indicate he will remain through at least the 2025 season but with no guarantee of being brought back next season.

And part of what will influence owner Stephen Ross' final decision is how the team performs down the stretch. And that made the idea of dumping player after playing to get draft picks most definitely not ideal for McDaniel, who we can only imagine still had a voice in the trade-deadline decisions.

This is totally different from the Jets with a first-year head coach and a first-year GM who almost assuredly will be back in 2026.

So, like it or not, the Dolphins decided to stand pat Tuesday after the Phillips trade.

The rest of the 2025 season and the next offseason will tell whether that was the right move.