3 Miami Dolphins who should be on trade block as Tua uncertainty tanks season

After over one month of uncertainty, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is set to make his return from yet another concussion in Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals. It's great to see Tagovailoa healthy enough to play, but what can we realistically expect?

Will Tagovailoa light it up immediately? Likely not. Will he be a step up over the likes of Tyler Huntley and Tim Boyle? Almost certainly, but that doesn't mean much. The Dolphins are now 2-4 after an ugly Week 7 loss against the Indianapolis Colts, and with teams like the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets getting better with recent trades, their path to the postseason is tough to see right now.

Miami had slim playoff odds even before Sunday's loss, and now, at 2-4, urgency is needed.

With how much uncertainty is revolving around Tagovailoa and the Dolphins season as a whole, GM Chris Grier needs to take a hard look at the trade market and the players that he has and make a decision. A win or two before the November 5 trade deadline might help, but with where the Dolphins are right now, trading veterans for draft capital makes too much sense. These three in particular should be the first to go.

3. This is not what Odell Beckham Jr. signed up for

Odell Beckham Jr. signed a one-year deal to join the Dolphins this past offseason, and so far, it has been nothing like what he could've expected. Beckham had reason to believe that a talented Dolphins team would be competitive and that he'd see some targets with defenses so focused on Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but that hasn't been the case at all.

The Dolphins are 2-4, and seven weeks into the season, Beckham has been a non-factor. The 31-year-old missed the first four weeks of the season due to injury, which wasn't a shocker. Since returning, however, he has done next to nothing. He had just one target in their Week 5 win against the New England Patriots and had two targets in their Week 7 loss. He has yet to record a single reception with the Dolphins.

With Tagovailoa nearing his return that might change, but right now, Beckham is not involved at all while being on a bad team. Having a legitimate role or being on a good team might make this situation better, but Beckham has neither. Whether the Dolphins can get anything for him remains to be seen, but Beckham still has some talent even if he isn't what he used to be, and might benefit from a change of scenery.

2. The Dolphins can get a lot more than they could've envisioned for Emmanuel Ogbah

Early this past offseason, the Dolphins released Emmanuel Ogbah because he was making too much money for their liking. He was replaced by Shaquil Barrett, who wound up retiring before playing in a single game with the Dolphins. Fortunately, Ogbah was still languishing away on the free agency market when Barrett hung up his spikes, giving Miami a clear path to bringing Ogbah back.

All that the 30-year-old has done since reuniting with the Dolphins is contribute, as through the first five games of the season, he was tied for the team lead with two sacks and four tackles for loss. He ranked tied for fifth on the team, playing in 72.5 percent of their defensive snaps and had 18 tackles on his ledger as well. Ogbah did miss their Week 7 game due to injury, but prior to that, he had been one of the most important players on this defense.

Considering the fact that Ogbah was available in July for any team to sign, the fact that he has been this important for the Dolphins is shocking and something that the team can take advantage of. He won't net a massive return by any means, but as a proven veteran on a cheap one-year deal who has played well this season, Ogbah can get the Dolphins a draft pick, which is always useful.

1. The Dolphins don't really need Raheem Mostert

Few running backs in the NFL were better than Raheem Mostert last season as he, despite sharing a backfield, ran for over 1,000 yards and led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns. He was named a Pro Bowler for the first time in his NFL career, and deservingly so.

As impactful as Mostert was, De'Von Achane figures to be the future of Miami's backfield. Achane hasn't gotten off to the best of starts this season, but was as efficient of a rusher as there was in the league in 2023, and with better quarterback play, would certainly see his numbers improve.

Even beyond Achane, the Dolphins drafted Jaylen Wright in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Chances are, they'll want him to play a role. It's hard for him to do that when he's the third-stringer. Mostert can be traded to help a team in need of running back help, while the Dolphins can turn to their pair of younger dynamic backs as they look ahead toward the future.