The Miami Dolphins made a trade on Monday, sending a 6th-round pick in 2028 to the New England Patriots for former third-round pick Caedan Wallace and a 2029 7th-round pick. On the surface, it's one of those "whatever" types of moves.
The Patriots drafted Wallace in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was off the board early in round three, but hardly touched the field. In his rookie year, he started just two games of the six he wasn't inactive for. In 2025, it was worse. He appeared in four games but didn't start a single one.
New England was set to release him before the Dolphins made the deal. The question Dolphins fans have is: what's the draw? What does Wallace bring to the Dolphins that he didn't bring to the Patriots? For starters, fans can look at head coach Mike Vrabel and the coach he replaced.
Miami Dolphins may have unearthed a gem by trading for Caedan Wallace
When the Patriots drafted Wallace, they viewed him as a guy who could play the interior. The Patriots have a history of drafting players and trying to play them at a different position. Sometimes it works; most of the time it doesn't. Dolphins fans saw this with Chris Grier as well.
Wallace isn't a guard. He is a tackle. At Penn State, Wallace took some practice snaps on the inside, but he was an offensive tackle on game days. In fact, he only logged a single snap anywhere but right tackle during his college days, according to Pro Football Focus.
- 2020 - Played 9 games as a redshirt freshman (7 starts)
- 2021 - Started 13 games
- 2022 - Played in 8 games (7 starts)
- 2023 - Started 13 games
Every one of his starts was at right tackle. This is where the Dolphins need the most help. Austin Jackson is a slip away from landing on injured reserve. Healthy now, the starting right tackle has a long, documented history of sitting out weeks. His backup, Charlie Heck, has been a turnstile during training camp.
The Dolphins need depth at right tackle, and this is where they hope to succeed where the Patriots failed.
Jerod Mayo wanted Wallace to play guard, but he didn't adjust to that well. As a result, he spent most of the season inactive. When Vrabel took over in 2025, he didn't see him as a tackle either. Wallace wasn't his player, and Vrabel brought in guys who played more to his style. Again, Wallace was on the bench.
This isn't to say that Wallace is some great secret that has suddenly been found on a rival's roster. He has to undo some of the development he received in New England while buying into what the Dolphins are doing in Miami.
There is talent there, or he wouldn't have been taken in the third round. It's the Dolphins' job now to pull that out of him, put him back to his natural right tackle spot, and let him grow. It's a perfect situation for Wallace, who will get the chance to prove the Patriots wrong.
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