Miami Dolphins a hot topic as NFL trade deadline approaches Tuesday

The Miami Dolphins may or may not be in a buyers mindset or even a sellers mind ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. They are a hot topic though.

When 4:00 p.m. arrives on Tuesday the NFL will shut down the opportunity to trade players and the Miami Dolphins will have to make decisions in the next 28 hours. Will they trade a player or two or will they bring a player in? The decision they make could determine what they see happening for the rest of 2018.

Prior to the Detroit Lions game the Dolphins were expected to trade DeVante Parker or at least try to but injuries to Albert Wilson and Kenny Stills put those rumors and discussions on a shelf. Now after losing two in a row, both in a really bad way, the Dolphins are suddenly at the center of fans trade discussions.

Some on social media suspect that Miami will trade for a defensive lineman or suggest Miami should trade for a quarterback or receiver maybe even a corner but the reality here is that Miami will likely do nothing and here is why.

The Dolphins are not close to competing in 2018 for a run at the Super Bowl. Simply too many holes and injuries. They are not a one player away fix for what is hurting on the defensive side of the ball or what is ailing their stagnant offense through most of the games. They are more than one player away.

Trading requires two of three things to facilitate a move. First you must have a player you want that is on the trade block. Then you have to pony up the compensation and that comes in the form of a player you are willing to move or a future draft pick. Finally you need a team that is willing to work out a trade with you.

In Miami’s case trading a draft pick makes no sense because this regime is not on the proverbial hot-seat which means that making a move to win now makes little sense. There is no need to mortgage your future when you are 4-4 and dealing with so many issues on both sides of the ball. Naturally seeing that you are not going to fix the issues by trading for someone, means you should be willing to trade one of your players.

In theory that is all well and good but Miami is also not out of the playoff chase and by trading away a player or even two for future considerations means that this regime is phoning in the season. Miami doesn’t have an accumulation of talent that can easily be moved.

Andre Branch has a salary that is too high for his performance. Cameron Wake is too entrenched into the Dolphins persona and Miami’s receiving corp is decimated with injury leaving Parker as one of the few that are healthy. That in and of itself is almost funny.

Miami simply has no one that another team is going to view as the missing piece in their run to the post-season. The ones that they do have, come with asterisks that are mentioned above. So when the trade deadline arrives the Dolphins are likely going to stay put and make changes in the off-season.

As mentioned, the Dolphins are still in contention. In the NFL standings they are 16 overall in the entire league. They are 8th in the AFC and 2nd in the AFC East and will likely be two games behind the Patriots after Monday nights Patriots vs. Bills match-up.

More from Dolphins News

• Tua Tagovailoa practicing with teammates is everything a leader does
• 4 offensive tackles Miami Dolphins could draft at 51
• Miami Dolphins don’t need CB help but these 5 could be available at 51
• 4 players that could replace Wilkins if Miami Dolphins don’t re-sign him
• Miami Dolphins have a starting point with Wilkins after Simmons deal

One player is not going to make a difference and moving players will send the message that they are not expecting much for the rest of the year. So they stand pat. They let the season play out and then spend the off-season trying to figure out how to turn it around. If the Dolphins were sitting at 6-2 or maybe even 5-3 and things were playing out a little better, then perhaps something might transpire before the deadline tomorrow. As it stands, Miami isn’t really in a position to do much of anything.

Much like the last two years however the Dolphins continue to be a team that many believe will be involved in discussions. Jay Ajayi was moved at the deadline and Jarvis Landry talk was rampant on that day. Chances are the Dolphins will once again be at the center of late day rumors.

As stated above, not once but twice, if the Dolphins believe they can improve their season by making a trade for a player, they are not thinking it through clearly unless they see that player as a fit for 2019 more than 2018. If they think they can trade a player away they will be getting draft picks for next season and that should be a statement on where they are today.