The Dolphins' Trading-Up Recap of the 2000s

The Miami Dolphins made a move up the draft board through an exchange of picks this year for the 19th time since 2000

Miami Dolphins GM Chris Grier | Alain Poupart/Miami Dolphins On SI

When the Miami Dolphins traded up in the second round of the 2025 to land Arizona offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea, it marked the 19th time this millennium they have moved up for a draft a player through an exchange of draft picks.

It had last happened in 2021 when the Dolphins traded a future third-round pick to the New York Giants to move from 50th to 42nd in the second round to select another offensive lineman, Liam Eichenberg.

Since Savaiinaea was drafted this year with the idea of replacing Eichenberg in the starting lineup, it's pretty clear that last trade didn't work out so well.

But the Dolphins have had some good fortune with those moves as well.

DOLPHINS MOVES UP IN THE DRAFT THROUGH EXCHANGE OF PICKS

2025 — Traded picks in the third, fourth and fifth rounds to Las Vegas for a fifth-round selection and to move up from 58th to 47th overall in the second round to selection G/T Jonah Savaiinaea: Obviously we'll have to wait a bit to see how it pans out.

2021 — Traded a 2022 third-round pick to the New York Giants to move up from 50th to 42nd overall and select T Liam Eichenberg: Eichenberg started 52 games in his first four seasons and moved all over the place on the offensive line but never was able to establish himself as a front-line starter.

2020 — Traded a seventh-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles to move up from 173rd to 164th overall and select LB Curtis Weaver: Weaver was a stud pass rusher at Boise State, but his skills didn't translate to the NFL and he never played a down for Miami.

2020 — Traded picks 136 and 141 in the fourth round to Houston for pick 111 to select G Solomon Kindley: While he started 11 games as a rookie, Kindley's weight became an issue that he couldn't overcome.

2017 — Traded picks 166 and 184 overall to Philadelphia for picks 164 and 194 to select G Isaac Asiata: Asiata was part of the disastrous 2017 Dolphins draft class and never panned out.

2016 — Traded a seventh-round pick to Minnesota to move up from 196th to 186th overall for WR Jakeem Grant: This one was a hit because Grant became arguably the best kick returner in franchise history as a sixth-round steal.

2016 — Traded a fourth-round pick to Baltimore to move up from 42nd to 38th to select CB Xavien Howard: Another major hit for Miami, as Howard became a Pro Bowl cornerback.

2014 — Traded a fourth-round pick to Oakland to move up from 81st to 67th in the third round to select T Billy Turner: This one is tough to gauge because Turner didn't really work out for the Dolphins, but he went on to have a good NFL career with stops in Green Bay and Denver.

2013 — Traded picks in the fourth, fifth and seventh rounds to Green Bay for a third-round pick (93rd overall) to select CB Will Davis: Davis was the second cornerback the Dolphins selected in that forgettable draft and he didn't pan out any better than second-round choice Jamar Taylor.

2013 — Traded a second-round pick (42nd overall) to Oakland to move up from 12th to 3rd in the first round and select DE Dion Jordan: We don't really need to go over Jordan's failed Dolphins career, do we? What we should mention was the absurdly small price Miami paid to go from 12 to 3 — particularly considering what the Dolphins got in 2021 from San Francisco for the exact same first-round jump.

2012 — Traded sixth-round picks in 2012 and 2013 to San Francisco move up from 103rd to 97th overall in the third round to select RB Lamar Miller: Small price to pay for a running back who produced a 1,000-yard season and the team record for longest run (97 yards).

2011 — Traded the 218th overall pick in the seventh round to Green Bay for the 231th overall pick and to move up from 179 to 174 in the sixth round to select TE Charles Clay: This worked out very well also because Clay was a valuable piece for the offense for four seasons.

2011 — Traded picks in the third, fifth and seventh rounds to Washington for the 62nd overall pick in the second round to select RB Daniel Thomas: The thought might have been fine, except that Thomas was built like a power back but ran like a finesse back and didn't have much of an NFL career.

2010 — Traded sixth- and seventh-round picks to Washington for a fifth-round pick (163rd overall) to select S Reshad Jones: Boom! That's a great move right there because Jones easily was among the five best Dolphins players of the 2010s.

2010 — Traded a sixth-round pick to Dallas to move up from 126th overall to 119th in the fourth round to select LB A.J. Edds: Who knows what could have been here if Edds' career hadn't been derailed by injuries.

2008 — Traded a seventh-round pick to Chicago to move from 115th overall in the fourth round to 110th and select G Shawn Murphy: The son of former baseball great Dale Murphy never panned out in the NFL.

2004 — Traded a seventh-round pick to Atlanta to move up from 186th overall in the sixth round to 174th and select G/C Rex Hadnot: Considering Hadnot started 55 games in four seasons with the Dolphins, this was a really good move for Miami.

2004 — Traded a fourth-round pick to Minnesota to move up from 20th overall in the first round to 19th to select T Vernon Carey: This is a tough one because Carey was a serviceable starter for Miami for seven seasons, but it's possible the Dolphins surrendered a fourth-round pick to Minnesota for no reason because New England never had any intention of jumping from 21 to 19 (over Miami).

2003 — Traded two seventh-round picks to Carolina for a sixth-round pick (181st overall) to select LB Corey Jenkins: While Jenkins played only two seasons in the NFL, it's not like the Dolphins gave up a lot to get him.