Dolphins' next 2 games will shape their NFL trade deadline plans

A lot is resting on the Dolphins' upcoming games.

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The NFL trade deadline is quickly approaching, and teams are looking over their rosters to identify areas they can improve or players they no longer see as part of their program. The Miami Dolphins are no different.

General manager Chris Grier knows where the Dolphins need to improve, and he knows who is expendable. That said, anyone hoping the Dolphins make a move soon might be disappointed. Miami will likely wait until the last minute to make any trades, if at all.

The next two games will be against the Arizona Cardinals at home and the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park. Those two games should have a big impact on what Grier does or doesn't do.

Why the Dolphins could be buyers at the trade deadline

If the Dolphins beat the Cardinals and Bills, they will close a gap in the division. At best, the Bills would be 6-3 with a loss to the Dolphins. Miami would improve to 4-4. The Bills still have a bye week, which could put the Dolphins one game behind Buffalo for the division with nine games remaining.

The Dolphins could look to make a move to get a better edge-rusher. They could look to bolster the offensive line, which likely won't happen if they win both games. Grier would certainly not waste capital to bring in a lineman.

At this point, the team's biggest needs are the offensive line and the outside linebacker/defensive end positions. While they could use some safety and wide receiver help, they are not glaring needs.

If the Dolphins save their season in the next two weeks, they should consider buying at the deadline.

Why the Dolphins could be sellers at the trade deadline

If the Dolphins lose their next two, the season is over. If they lose one of the next two, they would be hanging on by a thread.

More likely, the Dolphins should be sellers at this point. Jevon Holland, Tyreek Hill, Emmanuel Ogbah, and even Raheem Mostert should all be shopped. It is not an idea that would be met with cheers from most of the fan base, but at 2-6, the Dolphins need to look at the future, clear cap space, and build more capital to improve the roster.

The Dolphins have made it clear they are not trading Hill, but should anyone be off-limits if things don't change?

Dolphins could do absolutely nothing at the trade deadline

If the Dolphins lose both, win both, split, and still stand pat while not making moves at the deadline, the question is, what are they doing? By not making a move, the Dolphins are saying that their current roster is perfectly fine the way it is, but that is not the case.

Years of average drafts, lack of quality player retention, and overpaying in certain positions hurt the team's future. Not making a move at the deadline is not a huge deal, but they have to consider all possibilities of what will happen this offseason.

The Dolphins are not in a rebuilding mode, which makes this difficult. They will enter the offseason needing to fill the roster with better players than they have right now. They will have money to do it, but Grier has to get away from having a large portion of the team on one-year contracts or inflated two-year deals.

The 2024 trade deadline will be here soon, and it will be interesting to see how Miami approaches it because it will have an effect not only this year but next season, too.

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