The Miami Dolphins laid a big, fat egg with their 33-8 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1. Do not get it twisted: the Colts aren't surprisingly good and the Dolphins aren't mysteriously bad. This was the inevitable outcome of months of dysfunction in Miami.
All the reporting out of South Beach throughout training camp and the preseason painted a clear portrait of an organization in turmoil. The Dolphins were sloppy and disengaged in joint practices. Tyreek Hill requested a trade, then walked it back, only to frustrate coaches with his public comments and generate discord with his quarterback.
Hill was seen on the sideline fuming during Miami's stinker on Sunday. The talented wideout has been the subject of trade rumors for months, but he won't be the only Dolphins star brought up speculatively if — or when — this all comes crashing down.
It's difficult to find a path back from this. The Dolphins will probably fire Mike McDaniel midway through the season, but an impromptu coaching change is often just a temporary solution. Just ask Antonio Pierce and the Raiders. Eventually the honeymoon period ends and you're left with the same team and the same issues.
Should the Dolphins embrace the inevitable and begin to tank, here are five stars with significant trade value and five contenders who could fork over worthwhile compensation.
S Minkah Fitzpatrick ➡ Washington Commanders
Miami swapped Jalen Ramsey and Minkah Fitzpatrick this offseason in what was probably the clearest sign of imminent demise. Fitzpatrick is a five-time Pro Bowl safety and a three-time All-Pro first teamer. He is one of the NFL's very best at his position, but he simply won't return the same on-field value as a star cornerback like Ramsey. It felt like Miami hedging its bets and playing smart with its cap sheet.
Should the Dolphins decide to abandon ship, Fitzpatrick could end up right back on the trade block. Plenty of teams are in need of veteran stability in the defensive backfield. Miami should expect a wide range of suitors, but when it comes to finding the "right" fit, the Washington Commanders come to mind.
Washington has a time-proven defensive coach in Dan Quinn, but their personnel on that side of the football remains lacking — especially in the DB room, with 2023 second-round Quan Martin and 29-year-old journeyman Will Harris installed at safety for the time being. The Commanders are clearly the greatest threat to the reigning NFL champs Philadelphia in their division, and maybe in the entire NFC. Now is the time to push all their chips in.
This offense is going to hum right along with Jayden Daniels and Kliff Kingsbury, especially after the long-overdue Terry McLaurin extension. But if the Commanders want to truly challenge the Eagles, Packers and other NFC heavyweights, the defense needs to generate more stops. Fitzpatrick reinforces their pass coverage, providing a sharp, steady veteran on the perimeter.
RB De'Von Achane ➡ Pittsburgh Steelers
De'Von Achane put up 1,499 yards from scrimmage last season, providing one of the few positives in an otherwise wayward and disappointing season for Dolphins fans. Now in his third NFL season, that second contract is right around the corner. Running backs almost never come by extensions easily in this economy.
If the Dolphins are going to hit the eject button on this team, trading Achane at the peak of his value is the only logical step. There is still a market for dynamic running backs in their youth; Philadelphia just shelled out two Day 3 picks for Tank Bigsby, who will take up second-string duties behind Saquon Barkley.
The Pittsburgh Steelers let Najee Harris walk this offseason but made no efforts to replace him, instead elevating Jaylen Warren to RB1 and installing Kenneth Gainwell as his backup. Pittsburgh is going to throw the ball a lot more this season with Aaron Rodgers at the command, but Arthur Smith isn't going to abandon the run. And frankly, with Rodgers in his age-42 season, he shouldn't. Warren is not built to lead a backfield and Pittsburgh's depth is lackluster at best. Trading for Achane gives the offense a real shot in the arm.
It's fair to wonder if Smith will actually make the most of Achane's unique talent, but few running backs are more difficult to bring down in open space. He's the fastest player in the NFL once he gets downhill and Achane is extremely useful in the pass game. Without much pass-catching juice beyond DK Metcalf, the Steelers can use Achane in a variety of actions. He's sure to make life easier on Rodgers and the entire offense, with Warren relegated to a more natural change-of-pace role in the process. Pittsburgh just did business with Miami in the aforementioned Ramsey-Fitzpatrick trade, so there is a working rapport between those front offices.
Jaylen Waddle ➡ San Francisco 49ers
Jaylen Waddle inked a four-year, $84 million contract in 2024, with a potential out after his $33 million payday in 2027. That's a lot, but the San Francisco 49ers spent the offseason cutting costs in anticipation of an opportunity just like this. The Niners were reluctant to pay Brandon Aiyuk and straight up unwilling to abide Deebo Samuel's demands, but a 26-year-old of Waddle's caliber, in the middle of his prime, is probably worth a gander.
Waddle led the NFL in yards per reception just a couple years ago (18.1). His numbers since aren't as superhuman, but one needs to account for the dire state of this Dolphins offense, not to mention his role as Tyreek Hill's second banana. Put Waddle in Kyle Shanahan's scheme as Brock Purdy's clear No. 1 target, and odds are the numbers will perk back up.
We still haven't really seen Waddle as WR1 next to a competent quarterback. Purdy is far from elite, but he packs serious velocity behind his throws and this Niners offense can reach lofty heights at its peak. Christian McCaffrey is healthier this season, in theory, and the Niners will start to receive reinforcements in the weeks to come.
If the Niners decide to get serious about contending again, Waddle is the shot in the arm this offense desperately needs to take the next step. It won't come cheap — financially or in terms of trade compensation — but a fully healthy pass-catching corps of Waddle, Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall, with McCaffrey running routes too, sure does pop. Shanahan is still one of the best playcallers in the NFL, the tree from which Mike McDaniel's scheme in Miami sprouted. It's a tremendous fit all around.
Tyreek Hill ➡ Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders have north of $40 million in cap space and a clear mandate to win under Pete Carroll, soon to be the oldest head coach in NFL history. Tom Brady has made it no secret that he plans to bring a winning culture to Sin City. Las Vegas' Week 1 win over New England was encouraging, but this offense still lacks firepower.
Few NFL quarterbacks throw a better ball than Geno Smith. He will need to limit turnovers, but in general, the processing speed and arm strength is next level. He can lead a top-five offense with the right personnel. Ashton Jeanty is an immense talent, but the early returns are middling. Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers give Smith a couple high-leverage targets, but the pass-catching group beyond them thins out quickly.
Hill is insanely expensive, but he's also on a short-term deal and his value is as close to rock bottom as it has even been. Miami can't ask for the moon and stars in a return package. He probably won't get another $90 million-plus in free agency either. That makes this a worthwhile risk for the Raiders, who can afford the short-term cap burden with hopes of keeping Hill around on a more team-friendly deal in the future.
Even if it's only a rental at the end of the day, Hill substantially raises the ceiling on this Raiders team. The AFC West isn't exactly "wide open," but the Chiefs are more vulnerable than ever and the Broncos have more left to prove than initially expected. Las Vegas has one of the game's great defensive coaches and a proven recipe for success. Hill's ability to stretch the defense and churn out huge plays, paired with Smith's fearless quarterbacking, might transform the Raiders in a real force in a tough division.
Tua Tagovailoa ➡ Indianapolis Colts
Look, in all honesty... no team should be lining up to take on the remainder of Tua Tagovailoa's ghastly contract. He's a sunk cost and one of the most overrated quarterbacks in the NFL. He thrived in an optimal setup for years, but crank up the pressure even a little bit, and Tagovailoa typically cracks. His track record in cold-weather situations is not ideal either.
That said, if there's any team that should at least toss around the idea of a Tagovailoa trade, it's probably the Colts. Daniel Jones will come down to earth quickly after their Week 1 honeymoon against a distressed Dolphins team. Anthony Richardson has significant long-term potential, but it's clear that Indianapolis does not have the necessary patience to invest in Richardson's development. Maybe no team does.
The Colts aren't that far removed from competing for a Wild Card spot in the AFC. Shane Steichen has his warts as a head coach, but he's a sharp playcaller desperate for a quarterback who can command the huddle and limit turnovers. Tagovailoa coughed up two in Sunday's loss, but he's historically a very efficiency game manager type. If the Colts can insulate Tagovailoa in the pocket, the floor on this team probably raises — at least a little bit.
I'm not going to sit here and tell you the Colts should trade for Tagovailoa. But if the ex-Pro Bowl quarterback does end up on the trade block, there isn't a better intersection of schematic fit and opportunity than Indianapolis. If it's going to work anywhere, it's there.