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The Miami Dolphins struck their calculated move ahead of their upcoming 2026 reset by trading star pass rusher Jaelen Phillips to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third-round pick. It was also reported that the team paid some of his salary to facilitate a higher pick. More news: Jaguars Kicker Issued Drug Test by NFL After Breaking Field Goal Record Why was trading Phillips so necessary? Well, it directly impacts the future of the team in a major way. It is not at all shocking that the Dolphins might be engaging in a fire sale before the end of the trade deadline on Monday. Phillips was one of many names listed in predictions for trades that Miami would engage in. Bradley Chubb, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and even Jaylen Waddle have been mentioned as potential trade pieces. However, the latter would come with a price tag of a first-round pick and more. The Dolphins need a reset, and their only way out of this tumultuous season and situation was to blow everything up. The organization made its first move to do just that when Stephen Ross announced the team mutually parted ways with longtime executive and general manager Chris Grier. Grier was reportedly not willing to move players, leading to his exodus. The Dolphins then put Champ Kelly in charge, who was far more open to the idea of moving players to stack draft capital for the future. Jaelan Phillips #15 of the Miami Dolphins celebrates after making a defensive stop against the New York Jets during the first quarter in the game at MetLife Stadium on November 24, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. More news: Dolphins Asking Price for Jaylen Waddle Trade Reportedly Revealed The first player traded is Phillips, who fetched the Dolphins a third-round pick. That is a pretty high pick for a player who has seen two season-ending injuries and has three sacks on the season. That is not a knock on Phillips, as his rush win rate is fantastic. He will be a huge asset for the Eagles and will definitely help to upgrade the defense. For the Dolphins, this move signals that the team is doing what should have been done years ago. A complete reset. One of the biggest knocks on Grier is the fact that he was not the best talent evaluator, hence the issues the Dolphins find themselves in during this 2025 season. The defense appears to have regressed, the secondary is soft, and the offensive line is nowhere near where it should be to protect quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The poorly built roster is a carryover issue from multiple seasons back, and that directly falls onto Grier. He makes the personnel changes, and though head coach Mike McDaniel may have a say, the decisions on who to draft, trade, and trade for have all been Grier. This could be a major reason why Ross was willing to let Grier walk, but has not fired McDaniel. In fact, there are growing reports that the head coach might be back for 2026 and beyond. The Dolphins owner is a big believer in McDaniel and has been very vocal about that. With that said, the main reason the Dolphins needed to trade Phillips, and may trade more players, is to send a message. Right now, the job in South Beach is not that attractive. The Dolphins have taken a swing at multiple head coach candidates like Sean Payton, but fell flat. It could be that the organization has kept too many holdovers from past regimes, and why it has been over 25 years since the last playoff win. The Dolphins need a reset, and a full reset at that. Trading Phillips and more star players when they can fetch the team good draft capital signals the right change needed. Whether Kelly comes in and is hired as the new general manager, or the Dolphins go on an exhaustive search for a new one when the regular season ends, change was inevitable. The smart play would be for Ross to get rid of everyone and allow the new general manager and coach to be hired together, as they would share the same vision. Miami needs a full reset, and it has been done to a degree by getting rid of Grier. Should the Dolphins trade more than Phillips and stack even more draft capital, it will serve to showcase that the next general manager has a blank canvas in 2026 to help this ailing franchise finally stay relevant. For more on the Dolphins, head to Newsweek Sports.
