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The Kansas City Chiefs look like themselves again after five wins in six weeks, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes playing at an MVP level. Kansas City has found an offensive resurgence with the return of wide receiver Xavier Worthy from injury ahead of Rashee Rice’s reunion with the team two weeks ago, since which he has found the end zone three times already. First-round rookie and standout left tackle Josh Simmons — who has missed the past three games due to family issues — could be back as early as this weekend, though his most likely return timetable will come in the days that follow when Kansas City enters its bye week. So with the offense looking up and things only liable to get better in the games ahead, the Chiefs can turn their attention to a move or two at the NFL trade deadline to solidify the defense, as the team prepares for a run at its eighth consecutive appearance in an AFC Championship Game and fourth consecutive trip to the Super Bowl. Kansas City’s two primary areas of need are both on the defensive line, at the interior tackle position as well as a pass-rusher to come off the edge. Kansas City can, and likely will, look for a DT to bolster its front, but the splashier players potentially available ahead of the deadline play edge-rusher, including Jaelan Phillips of the Miami Dolphins. Jaelan Phillips Productive in 2025 After 2 Seasons Battling Injuries Phillips is currently playing on the fifth-year team option of his rookie deal in Miami, which has paid him a total of nearly $28 million since the Dolphins made him a first-round pick (No. 16 overall) back in 2021. The 26-year-old tore his Achilles tendon in 2023 and suffered an ACL injury in 2024. Before that, however, he tallied 52 QB hits, 24 tackles for loss and 22 sacks across 42 games played. Phillips has returned to full health this season, starting all eight games for the Dolphins to this point. And while his counting statistics are down with just two sacks on the year, he has tallied 27 total pressures and 21 hurries, per Pro Football Focus. His PFF grade as a pass-rusher is 80.4, good enough to rank him 14th among 119 qualifying edge-rushers in that category. Dolphins Poised to Trade Pass-Rusher, Jaelan Phillips Makes Most Sense Miami is 2-6 on the season and likely to end up sellers ahead of the November 4 deadline. “The spotlight is on Miami to enter build-for-the-future mode. So far, it has staved off the temptation,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN wrote Wednesday. “But the interest in several key players, from wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to pass-rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb, is prevalent. Moving a pass-rusher feels like the most likely outcome if something goes down.” Phillips makes sense as a trade candidate because the Dolphins probably won’t re-sign him in March given where their roster sits, and he can certainly garner a mid-round draft pick in return as a finishing piece for a Super Bowl contender like the Chiefs in need of a player with Phillips’ skill set.
