Examining the Most Likely Dolphins Players To Be Moved Before the Trade Deadline

The Miami Dolphins could (or should) be looking to pick up future assets during this rebuilding 2026 season

Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler (92) is introduced before a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Hard Rock Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Miami Dolphins figure to have a whole lot of new faces in 2027, just like they have now in 2026, and that also means there a lot of players on the current roster who won't be around past this season.

And that list very well could include some of the most recognizable names on the roster because some of those players might not fit into the team's long-term plans.

The 2026 NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, November, right after the end of Week 9 — or basically the halfway point of the season.

We already have seen some trades around the league, the most recent involving the Baltimore Ravens acquired offensive lineman Cam Jurgens from the Philadelphia Eagles in a swap of draft picks.

The Dolphins made one move around the trade deadline last year, a move that should have been seen as a precursor to the roster overhaul that was to come, when they sent edge defender Jaelan Phillips to the Eagles in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick they ended up using on tight end Will Kacmarek.

While we won't completely eliminate the idea of the Dolphins acquiring a player before the trade deadline, the profile being a former high pick who hasn't panned out, needs a change of scenery and won't be too costly (Brian Thomas Jr. maybe?), it's obviously more likely they will be moving players away from Miami as opposed to toward Miami.

And the players most likely to be on the move figure to be veterans, particulary if they're on an expiring deal.

DOLPHINS PLAYERS MOST LIKELY TO BE TRADED IN 2026

1. T Austin Jackson — No, Jackson has not had a great start to the 2026 season, but he's got some good football on his career resume and it's not like offensive linemen aren't always in demand. Jackson is scheduled to become a free agent after the season and he's got a low base salary that would make him attractive financially to other teams. Trading Jackson would result in a $14 million dead cap hit in 2027, but that hit is coming regardless and losing the ability to spread it out over two years might be worth it if the Dolphins could get a mid-round pick for him (like a fourth or a fifth).

2. EDGE Joshua Uche — Uche has played well enough after turning 28 in September that he's put himself in position of possibly getting re-signed by the Dolphins next year, but he's also inexpensive for another team to acquire, which might prompt some offers. The question then would become whether the Dolphins would prefer the draft pick compensation than having to try to re-sign Uche.

3. DT Zach Sieler — Sieler is coming off his best performance of the season and he remains a solid, at times very good, interior defensive lineman, but he will be 32 at the start of the 2026 season. That could be a problem for Miami, though not for a contender looking for D-line help. There would be a cap hit of $24.7 million in 2027 with a trade as the Dolphins would lose the opportunity to split the dead cap hit over two years, which would save $13 million next year. There's also something to be said for having veteran leadership in what still will be a young DT group, so an offer for Sieler would have to be attractive.

4. Willie Gay Jr. — After re-signing as a free agent on a one-year deal, the veteran linebacker has had a little bit more of a role in 2026, but he's still expendable and it might be worth it for the Dolphins to make a move if they can get a late-round pick for him.