Dolphins Sunday Mailbag: Should the Team Consider Trading Waddle or Achane?

Third and final part of a post-McDaniel firing Miami Dolphins On SI mailbag:

From Ryan:

While it’s highly unlikely, but hypothetically, if Miami hired Weaver as the new Head Coach without interviewing 2 outside minority candidates in additional, would that still constitute a violation of the Rooney rule?

Hey Ryan, I have been told that it doesn't matter what ends up happening, teams always have to conduct interviews with at least two minority candidates when they have a head coach opening.

From Brian Edits:

With the widespread use of the West Coast/Shanahan/McDaniel offense, is there any hope that the players on that were handpicked for this system will be of similar value going forward? Or do you expect a full housecleaning/fire sale?

Hey Brian, it’s pretty rare that a player needs to be traded because he can adjust and adapt to a new offensive system or his skill set limits him to one scheme because a good player is a good player. So I don’t expect wholesale changes because of a major change in offensive philosophy or scheme. If there are big-name players getting moved, it would be more for cap reasons or because of what they can get in return.

From Bob Curvelo:

Hi Alain, always a pleasure reading. Do you think Miami will start 2026 with a total clean slate, new GM, HC & QB?

Hey Bob, well, we’re already assured of two out of three with new coach and new GM, and I would suspect there’ll be a new opening-day quarterback as well.

From Divingpelican31:

Hi Alain, with all the uncertainty, it's hard to even have a good question, as nearly everything is dependent on the new hires and systems they bring. If this is full rebuild mode, are you trading Waddle and/or Achane for 1sts if opportunity is there?

Whoever the new coach ends up being, you still need good players, so the Dolphins are going to be hesitant to move their two biggest playmakers. I’m also not sure it’s a slam dunk you’d get a first-round pick for either Waddle or Achane because of the way the season ended for Waddle and because running backs aren’t hard to come by, even if there aren’t that many as good as Achane.

From Harry:

Given salary cap situation is it beneficial to try and acquire more picks via trading back or trading vets? Not Achane or Waddle btw... Getting younger and cheaper seems like good idea.

Hey Harry, yes, I like the idea of acquiring more picks, but outside of Achane and Waddle, who would you think can get a good return in a trade. I think Minkah Fitzpatrick is the one who stands out as a trade possibility, but it’s not like the Dolphins have many viable options at safety. As with everything, this would depend on what kind of return you could get for him.

From Jef Smith:

Hey Alain! Give us your current top three first-round Dolphins picks that does not include a QB.

Hey Jef, this is very, very preliminary, but since you asked I’ll go with Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy and Utah offensive lineman Spencer Fano.

From Fleming:

Your best guess who is starting QB for Fins opener?

Hmm, tough call because I think the 2026 starter probable isn’t the current roster. Malik Willis really jumps out as an ideal veteran acquisition in the offseason, though he’ll probably get a lot of offers. But for lack of a better alternative right now, I’ll go with Willis.

From Tony Sasso:

Is there ANY chance Tua is part of the QB competition in ’26?

Hey Tony, if the question is “any” chance, then absolutely there is a chance. The reality is the Dolphins probably would like a fresh start at quarterback, but ultimately may decide they’d be better having Tua on the roster given his cap number than dumping him for the sake of moving on and having to absord the nasty dead cap hit. In an ideal world, I think the Dolphins would love to be able to trade Tua, but I don’t know how feasible that is because I just can’t envision much of a market for him.

From JJ:

Hey Alain how about McCarthy to the Fins???

Hey JJ, he’s certainly a name to watch, particularly given his Green Bay connection with new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan, but there has been no indication yet that the Dolphins have reached out to him. So I’d say it’s looking like a very long shot at this point.

From Josh Riley:

What are your thoughts on Jeff Hafley possibly being *the guy*? It feels like two steps forward, one step back.

Hey Josh, I don’t know that Hafley would be at the top of my life, but he’s a highly respected coach and there’s obviously a reason for that. I certainly wouldn’t jump to classifying it — if they end up hiring him — as a “step back.”

From Mark Malbeck:

Hey Alain, with new GM and coach, will Tua get another chance or is he gone?

Hey Mark, yeah, this is a popular question and it’s also tough to answer since we have yet to speak to Jon-Eric Sullivan to get any sort of feel on how he sees Tua. I certainly wouldn’t dismiss the possibility of him returning in 2026 and suggest it’s certainly more likely now with Mike McDaniel no longer in the picture.

From Troy Darcey 02:

Do you think McDaniel feels let down by Tua? McD did everything to help Tua succeed but Tua showed nothing after receiving the big bag. One of the reasons he got hired was to work with and develop the QB, which he did but in the end received nothing in return...

Hey Troy, I know we’d never hear that from McDaniel, but I have to imagine it’s absolutely very possible, if not inevitable. McDaniel went to bat for Tua to get his extension and then watched him get concussed again with a bad decision against Buffalo, get hurt again against Houston later in the season and then badly regress in 2025. Yeah, I would think McDaniel would be pretty peeved at that.

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