Why the Big Simmons Trade Could Help And Hurt the Dolphins

The massive trade around the NFL on Thursday morning didn't involve the Miami Dolphins, but it will could have clear implications for them in different ways.

One potential effect on the Dolphins could end up being positive, but there are two potential negative impacts, one direct and the other indirect.

THE POTENTIAL POSITIVE OF THE SIMMONS TRADE FOR THE DOLPHINS

The trade that sent Jeffery Simmons to the Chicago Bears in a deal that involved two first-round picks going to the Tennessee Titans followed DeForrest Buckner being sent from the Indianapolis Colts to the San Francisco 49ers earlier this week, removing a second high-end defensive tackle from the market, leaving those teams looking for help at that position with fewer options.

And this is where the Dolphins come in.

Zach Sieler's name has been mentioned as a trade candidate, which means sense because the Dolphins are in rebuilding mode, he's on the wrong side of 30, and he's got pretty hefty cap numbers the next three years.

But Sieler also is appealing to a contender looking for DT help because he's a very good player and his contract includes no guaranteed salary beyond this year.

The question, of course, is whether the Dolphins even want to trade him as a leader on defense and also still clearly the best player on the defensive line.

If they want to entertain the idea of trading him, though, their asking price probably just went up after the Simmons trade simply on the principle of supply and demand.

The Bears and 49ers, you see, weren't the only teams looking to fortify the middle of their defensive line, with the New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars and Green Bay Packers among other teams who could be in the market.

Exactly what Sieler could fetch on the market is debatable, though it obviously won't come anywhere near the Titans getting two first-round picks for Simmons. The Colts got a fourth-round pick for Buckner, though that situation involved reports of Buckner tellling Indy he only wanted to go to San Francisco, which no doubt impacted the trade compensation once Indy decided to grant Buckner's wishes.

The key here is how desperate a team becomes to land a defensive tackle before the trade deadline.

With Simmons and Buckner off the market, Sieler is among the top defensive tackles who could be moved along with Daron Payne of the Washington Commanders, possibly A'Shawn Robinson of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Grover Stewart of the Colts.

HOW THE SIMMONS TRADE COULD HURT THE DOLPHINS

The direct impact of the Simmons trade on the Dolphins will come in Week 14 (assuming Simmons is in the lineup) when they face the Chicago Bears at Hard Rock Stadium.

The Bears already were 5-2 when they made the trade and now have to stand as one of the NFC favorites to reach the Super Bowl, meaning an already difficult challenge for the Dolphins just got even more daunting.

This is the opposite of the Dolphins' game at Indianapolis in Week 10, a matchup that's gotten a lot more favorably for Miami after the Colts traded away not only Buckner but All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks.

And while the Dolphins are coming off their first victory of the 2026 season, the outlook still remains grim for the remainder of the season and they entered the week as heavy favorites (according to ESPN projections) to land the finish with the worst record in the NFL and land the first overall pick in the 2027 draft.

But the Titans might have something to say about that.

And the trade of Simmons, while maybe beneficial in the long run, won't help them win games this season.

The Titans, like the Dolphins, have only one win this season and they just traded the player probably most responsible for it — Simmons had two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in their 26-20 victory against the Colts in Week 6.

The Chargers currently hold the No. 1 draft position with their 0-6 record, but the feeling has been all along that they still have too much talent to end up with the worst record in the league.

Tennessee, meanwhile, is in the midst of a brutal run that saw them land the No. 1 overall pick in 2024 and the fourth overall pick last year.

While the hope remains that the Dolphins can string together a few wins the rest of this season and how high they draft next year becomes secondary, the reality is everything is on the table. And if they are going to have a really bad record, then landing that No. 1 overall pick would be advantageous not only for the opportunity to pick whatever player they might want but also for the possible chance to trade the pick for more draft capital.

This is where the Simmons trade could impact the Dolphins negatively.

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