What Division Rival's Blockbuster Trade Means for Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins hadn't made a blockbuster trade Tuesday as of 1 p.m., but one of their division rivals shocked the NFL world ahead of the trade deadline.

The New York Jets agreed to send All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for two first-round picks (2026, 2027) and second-year wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.

Shortly after this article was published, the Jets also agreed to send Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for another first round pick (2027), a second-round pick in 2026, and defensive tackle Mazi Smith.

While these deals don't involve the Dolphins directly, there are some interesting lines you can draw about how this deal affects Miami now and in the future.

The Jets Are Even Worse … For Now

The most obvious effect this will have on Miami is not having to face Gardner and Williams two times per season. Gardner’s overall play and numbers have dropped off in recent seasons, but he’s still an incredibly talented player. Williams has been a consistent game-wrecker since entering the league, especially against Miami's usually bad interior offensive line.

Getting both out of the division is an immediate help for the Dolphins, as the Jets will now have cornerback and interior defensive tackle as a pretty big need.

The ironic part of the Gardner trade is that former Miami Dolphins CB Xavien Howard retiring — and playing incredibly poorly — is one of the reasons the Colts likely felt compelled to make a move for Gardner.

Obviously, Gardner is good enough that the Colts might have made the move even if Howard was a startable player, but it’s funny to think about the domino effect.

While the immediate ramifications of this deal have some ties to Miami, the more intriguing conversation should be had about the future.

The Dolphins and Jets are division rivals; they’ll always be compared to each other. However, the two teams are now heading toward a similar rebuilding window.

The Jets have a one-year head start, moving off their head coach and general manager last offseason, while the Dolphins parted ways with Chris Grier late last week.

How each team handles the upcoming rebuilding process will draw plenty of eyes.

Comparing Each Team’s Assets

The most interesting place to look right now is at future draft capital. The Jets now have nine picks in the 2026 NFL draft, including two first- and second-round selections. Tankathon.com is also projecting the Jets to get a few compensatory picks in the fifth and seventh rounds, but obviously, those aren’t guaranteed.

They’ll also have three first-round picks in 2027 to continue stacking on what should be a large 2026 draft class.

On the other hand, the Dolphins have solid, but not quite as much, draft capital this year. Miami has eight picks in the upcoming draft, but five of its selections will be in the top 100 compared to the Jets having four.

New York is missing a third-round selection, and its fourth-round pick sits at 103 overall.

Of course, the Dolphins might not be done dealing at the deadline, so the math on this could change, although we’d be surprised if it did.

We’ll find out which team uses its resources better in the coming years, but either way, watching how Miami and New York rebuild — again — should provide plenty of drama.

More Miami Dolphins Coverage