As the offseason wears on, trade rumors involving the Miami Dolphins start really gaining steam. One name you hear a lot is Tyreek Hill’s—but another Dolphin is now getting a lot of attention: edge rusher Jaelan Phillips.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently ran a hypothetical trade scenario in a mock draft exercise. He proposed the Dolphins send Phillips to the San Francisco 49ers—along with their 13th overall pick—in exchange for the 49ers’ 11th overall pick and a fourth-round selection. That idea is already sparking debate among fans and analysts over whether trading Phillips would be a good move for the Dolphins.
Phillips will play his fifth year on his option in 2025. That’s when the questions about his future will really start to come to the forefront. Let’s look at the reasons behind Barnwell’s proposal-and why trading Phillips might-or might not-make sense for Miami.
Why Trading Jaelan Phillips Could Make Sense?
Moving Up in the Draft
One of the biggest advantages of trading Phillips, as Barnwell sees it, is the chance for the Dolphins to jump up in the first round. That would let them snag a top defensive lineman prospect like Michigan’s Kenneth Grant. That’s a major advantage, in Barnwell’s view. Miami’s defensive line is in a tough spot, particularly on the interior. They’ve got just two players—Zach Sieler, who’s really starting to shine, and Benito Jones—who are expected to contribute meaningfully. That’s a concern the Dolphins need to address.
Losing Phillips would be a blow, but the Dolphins have more depth at edge rusher than they do on the interior. Bradley Chubb is coming back next season, and that rookie Chop Robinson showed some real flashes of brilliance in the second half of last season. Behind them, you have Mohamed Kamara, William Bradley-King and Quinton Bell providing additional depth at that position. That gives the Dolphins some flexibility to make a move like trading Phillips.
Avoiding Long-Term Financial Risk
Trading Phillips now could be the smart move to avoid throwing good money after bad. The fifth-year option for 2025 will cost the Dolphins $13.3 million against the cap. If Phillips can stay healthy and regain his form, that’s a pretty good deal. But given his recent history—those torn Achilles and ACL in 2023 and 2024, respectively—that’s a risk the Dolphins might not want to take.
By moving Phillips now, the Dolphins can recoup some value rather than waiting for another season-ending injury to tank his trade value. In that scenario, Barnwell suggests Miami would get an earlier draft pick and a fourth-rounder. That way, they can add some real talent to the team without being locked into a potentially volatile contract. And that’s a much more attractive option.
Why Trading Jaelan Phillips Might Be a Mistake
Underwhelming Return for a High-Upside Player
The biggest issue with Barnwell’s proposal is the return value just doesn’t match Phillips’ potential. Barnwell puts Phillips’ trade value at the 91st overall pick—think a late third or early fourth-round pick. That undervalues a player who racked up 22 sacks in his first three seasons—and 6.5 of those in just eight games before that Achilles injury in 2023.
Even with those injury struggles, Phillips stands out as one of the most talented edge rushers on the roster. You just don’t find that kind of explosiveness and pass-rushing ability very often in the NFL. Giving him away for minimal compensation doesn’t align with the Dolphins’ goal of getting the most out of their talent. And that means letting him go for what amounts to a late-round draft pick doesn’t make sense.
Lack of Immediate Impact from Draft Picks
Adding a fourth-round pick to a team that already has five Day 3 selections isn’t going to make a huge difference in the roster. The Dolphins can’t afford to gamble on developmental prospects right now—they need contributors who can make an impact immediately. That’s the pressure Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier are under to win in 2025. Replacing Phillips with rookies like Shemar Stewart or Mykel Williams just isn’t the way to achieve that success.
Phillips’ Value to the Current Roster
Despite the depth at edge rusher, Phillips is the best player in that room when healthy. Chop Robinson is still developing and Bradley Chubb has his own injury concerns. None of the other rotational players come close to Phillips’s pedigree or potential.
For a team with playoff aspirations, losing Phillips weakens a big part of the defense. Even if the Dolphins draft a rookie, there’s no guarantee they’ll contribute right away. Phillips has already shown what he can do when healthy.
Should the Dolphins Pull the Trigger?
Trading Jaelan Phillips isn’t a bad idea in and of itself, but the terms of Barnwell’s deal are weak. Moving up two spots in the draft and getting a 6th Day 3 pick doesn’t make the Dolphins better in 2025—a year where winning is everything for this franchise.
Phillips’ injury history complicates things, but his upside is real. If the Dolphins trade him, they need a lot more to justify getting rid of a player of his potential. For now, holding onto Phillips and hoping for a healthy season seems like the smart play.
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