The Miami Dolphins have their general manager, and now, they set their focus on finding a head coach. The number of candidates continues to widen, but with Jon-Eric Sullivan already in the building, predictions from around the NFL are beginning to form.
One such prediction is that the Dolphins, in high need to do something about the quarterback position, will make a trade to help fill the room. And with the Wild Card round of the playoffs finalized, one analyst sees a move being made with an NFC team recently eliminated from contention.
Noting potential offseason moves, ESPN analyst Benjamin Solak predicts that the Philadelphia Eagles will trade backup QB Tanner McKee to the Dolphins in exchange for a middle-round pick. But is this the smart play for Miami?
ESPN analyst predicts Miami Dolphins to trade for Eagles backup QB Tanner McKee
The Eagles drafted McKee in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He has since appeared in six total games for Philadelphia, notching two starts. Both of those starts came in the regular-season finales of 2024 and 2025, when the Eagles had essentially wrapped up their playoff position.
Against Washington earlier this month, McKee completed just 52.5% of his 40 pass attempts, throwing for one touchdown and an interception. In the 2024 regular-season finale, he fared better, going 27 of 41 for 269 yards and two scores.
McKee was a standout in college at Stanford. For his collegiate career, he completed 63.2% of his passes for 5,336 total yards, 28 touchdowns, and 15 INTs. The TD:INT ratio is a bit concerning, but McKee has just one thus far in his NFL career, and he's been smarter with the football, making sure to avoid the big mistake.
Solak notes his prediction for the Eagles in the offseason by stating, "The quarterback factory spits out another trade, as the Eagles will deal QB2 Tanner McKee to the Dolphins in exchange for a middle-round pick."
The middle-round pick projection is just as interesting as it is vague. To be precise, this could range from Rounds 2-6.
In no world are the Dolphins giving up second-round capital for McKee. Miami has three third-round selections in 2026 (one being Philadelphia's from the Jaelan Phillips trade) before comp picks are taken into consideration, so on the surface, parting with one would make sense. However, that's still too high for someone of McKee's caliber, even if he does play QB.
The Dolphins also have picks in Rounds 4, 5, and 7. If I'm Miami, I'm not offering anything higher than a fifth.
Sullivan will have his hands full with how to handle Tua Tagovailoa and his hefty contract. Nevertheless, it's safe to say Tua will not be the starting QB in Miami for 2026. Right now, Quinn Ewers would be penciled in as the starter, but the new GM is sure to bring in some added competition, whether via trade, free agency, or through the draft.
Trading for McKee makes sense, provided it's at the right price. He was a sixth-round pick and hasn't shown much to boost his value in his limited playing time behind Jalen Hurts. The Dolphins may be better off drafting someone they can develop, but they could do worse than McKee.