Heading into Week 10 of the 2026 NFL season with a 1-7 record, the Miami Dolphins currently hold the No. 3 spot in the 2027 NFL Draft order. Their opponent this week, the Indianapolis Colts (2-7), presently occupy the fourth overall selection come next April.
Or so they should.
Unfortunately for the Colts -- and the Dolphins, for that matter -- Indianapolis traded the
rights of its first-round pick last season to the New York Jets as part of the package to
acquire cornerback Sauce Gardner. At the time, the move made sense for the Colts, as
they went all in for a playoff run. Yet, an injury to quarterback Daniel Jones derailed all of their aspirations, and it’s been a downward spiral for Indy ever since.
This year, the Colts did the opposite and traded several of their players with the intent to rebuild. They’ll do so, though, without their first-round pick, which makes their matchup
with the Dolphins this week all the more intriguing.
Miami Dolphins could net Jets a higher draft pick with win over Colts
Like the Dolphins and Colts, the Jets are also in a rebuilding mode themselves. Yet, it’s easy to argue that they are a step or two ahead of both right now, with three first-round picks at their disposal for the 2027 NFL Draft.
As it stands, New York holds the No. 4 (via Indianapolis), No. 6 (their own), and the No. 13 (via the Dallas Cowboys in the Quinnen Williams trade) overall selections for next April’s draft. The Jets had three first-round picks this past April and in 2022, but in neither situation were all three in the top half of the round. With general manager Darren Mougey now making the selections, New York could quickly become a force if he hits on all three.
Which is why what Indianapolis is doing to finish out the season doesn’t help Miami in any sort. Not that the Colts are looking to help the Dolphins at all, but each top-tier player that Indy traded away essentially gave the Jets a better chance at a higher pick next year.
After parting ways with former general manager Chris Ballard, it’s understandable that the Colts are seeking a reset. Unfortunately, it seems the Jets will be the beneficiaries of that reset in the short term. That is why this week’s matchup between the Colts and Dolphins could prove pivotal for the 2027 draft.
The Los Angeles Chargers (0-8) and the Tennessee Titans (1-7) currently hold the No. 1 and No. 2 picks, respectively, in the upcoming draft. However, the Chargers are simply too talented of a team to not believe they won’t win at least a few games before the end of the season, and the Titans have a couple of winnable games remaining on their schedule as well.
The Dolphins have played hard throughout this season, including going toe-to-toe with some of the NFL’s best. But with Malik Willis going on injured reserve and now turning to Kyle McCord as the starter, along with veteran defensive tackle Zach Sieler lost for the season, it’s tough seeing Miami winning many more games (if any) the rest of the season.
Likewise, with the Colts shipping out several of their assets, their odds of winning any more games this season have deteriorated greatly.
There’s a distinct possibility that the winner of the Colts-Dolphins game this week will get their final victory of the year. Meanwhile, the loser could lose out the rest of the way.
In the end, it could be the Dolphins and Jets picking No. 1 and No. 2 next April. Who is picking first, however, could depend on how this week’s game plays out.
I know it’s difficult for fans to root against the hometown team, and even with McCord under center, Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley has a great opportunity to pick up his second career win. Yet, in the long term, if it means the Jets are picking ahead of Miami in April, then it may feel like it wasn’t worth it.
“Worth” is a speculative measure, however, as this young Dolphins team is still learning how to win, and every game is a learning experience. By all accounts, GM Jon-Eric Sullivan did a masterful job in his first draft with the Dolphins, and there’s a strong belief that he’ll do so again, regardless of where Miami is picking.
Still, having the No. 1 pick means you hold the keys to the draft. Moreover, a loss on Sunday would further prevent the Jets from obtaining the top selection. So, while most Dolphins fans will understandably be rooting for their favorite team this week, a win may do more harm than good.
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