The vibe in Miami right now is, honestly, a bit chaotic. If you’ve been following the miami dolphins trade news lately, you know the "Phins Up" mantra has been replaced by a lot of "What now?"
Miami just wrapped up a 7-10 season that felt way longer than 17 games. Mike McDaniel is out. Chris Grier is out. The keys to the facility have been handed to Jon-Eric Sullivan, and the first thing on his desk is a giant, expensive file labeled "Tua Tagovailoa."
The Tua Tagovailoa Trade Rumors: A Messy Divorce?
Basically, Tua was benched. In December. That’s the reality nobody saw coming when he signed that $212.4 million extension back in '24. After a rough 2025 where he posted a career-low 37.2 QBR and threw 15 picks, the Dolphins turned to rookie Quinn Ewers.
Now, the trade market is... complicated.
The New York Jets are actually being floated as a potential landing spot, which sounds crazy since they're in the same division. But think about it. If the Jets strike out on a rookie in the 2026 draft, they need a bridge. Tua, for all his struggles in the cold—he's 0-6 when it’s under 40 degrees—is still a veteran with a high completion percentage.
But here is the catch. Miami would have to swallow about $45 million in dead money to move him. Most insiders, like those over at DolphinsTalk, think Miami might actually have to attach a draft pick just to get a team to take on his $43 million cap hit for 2026.
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"I would be good with a fresh start. That would be dope." — Tua Tagovailoa, January 5, 2026.
When the player himself says a trade would be "dope," you know the bridge is pretty much burned.
The Jaelan Phillips Trade: Why It Actually Happened
One piece of miami dolphins trade news that already went down—and still stings—was the November move sending Jaelan Phillips to the Philadelphia Eagles.
A lot of fans hated this. Phillips was a homegrown star. But with his injury history and Miami’s "cap purgatory" (as Phin Phanatic calls it), the team needed assets. They got a 2026 third-round pick in return.
It was a cold, business-first move by interim GM Champ Kelly. It signaled the end of the "win-now" window that never quite opened. By moving Phillips, Miami now holds five picks in the top 100 for the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. They are rebuilding the foundation while the roof is still on fire.
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Trading Up: The Fernando Mendoza Hype
There is a lot of chatter about Miami moving up instead of just shipping people away. The target? Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza.
He’s a South Florida kid. He grew up a Dolphins fan. He just won the Heisman. It’s the kind of storybook script that rarely happens in the NFL, but PFF has already mocked a trade where Miami sends their No. 11 pick, a second-rounder, and future firsts to the Giants to get to No. 1.
Is it worth it? Mendoza’s 33 touchdowns and 6 interceptions this year at Indiana say yes. But Jon-Eric Sullivan comes from a Green Bay background. He might prefer a more conservative approach than selling the farm for one kid.
The Roster Fallout
The trade talk isn't just about QBs. Look at the rest of the room:
- Tyreek Hill: He’s 32 and carries a $51.8 million cap hit. If Miami is truly resetting, do they trade the Cheetah to a contender for one last haul?
- Bradley Chubb: He’s been productive, but he’s expensive. A post-June 1 release or trade could save $20 million.
- Minkah Fitzpatrick: He actually came back to Miami in 2025. It was a weird, full-circle moment, but his $18.8 million cap hit makes him a prime candidate for a "restructure or goodbye" conversation.
Honestly, the Dolphins are a team with a lot of "names" and not enough wins. That is a recipe for a fire sale.
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What to Watch Next
The coaching search is the first domino. Jeff Hafley, the Packers' defensive coordinator, is the frontrunner for the head coaching job. If he brings in a specific scheme, expect more miami dolphins trade news regarding defensive personnel that doesn't fit his vision.
The NFL allows in-person meetings again after January 19. That is when the real phone calls start.
If you’re a Fins fan, keep your eyes on the 2026 draft order. If the Giants or Raiders start asking for a king's ransom for the top pick, we’ll know exactly how desperate Sullivan is to move on from the Tua era.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Monitor the Salary Cap: Check Spotrac after the Super Bowl; if Tua’s contract isn’t restructured by early March, a trade becomes significantly more likely before his 2027 guarantees kick in.
- Scout the Top Three QBs: Watch highlights of Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore. One of them is likely the target if Miami uses their extra third-round picks to move into the top five.
- Watch the Coaching Hire: A defensive-minded coach like Hafley might prioritize keeping guys like Zach Sieler while being okay with trading away high-priced offensive "flash" players.