As the NFL trade deadline expired on November 4, Jaylen Waddle and the rest of the Miami Dolphins' roster survived the rumor mill unscathed. A day after Jaelan Phillips was traded to the Eagles, interim general manager Champ Kelly opted to do nothing.
A wave of emotions took over social media channels. Why did the Dolphins do nothing when there was so much that needed to be done? They could have saved cap space and acquired more draft picks. Now, it seems they were pretty close to moving their top receiver.
Mark Kaboly covers the Steelers and reported that they came close to getting the Dolphins to relent on their stance regarding Waddle. Kaboly reported that Kelly was nearly ready to pull the trigger, but apparently got "cold feet."
Dolphins interim GM Champ Kelly may have saved his job by not trading Jaylen Waddle. Or did he?
The last thing the Dolphins need is a wishy-washy general manager. Kelly needed to stick to his convictions or make a bold move that shows he is capable of handling the job. This can be viewed in two different and distinct ways.
On one hand, the decision to keep Waddle is probably a good one. It sets Kelly up for a future where he doesn't have to address both boundary receiver positions. On the other hand, if he was entertaining a trade for Waddle and was close to pulling it off, why did he back off?
You could argue that the trade wasn't bringing back what the Dolphins said they wanted, but according to Kaboly, the Steelers were offering up multiple draft picks.
Rumor: @MarkKaboly says the Steelers believed they were close to acquiring Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle on deadline day. They offered multiple draft picks. And the interim GM might have gotten cold feet. @937thefan pic.twitter.com/GVuWAyE9jn
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) November 7, 2025
It's unclear whether those picks included a first-round selection, but what it does show is that Kelly fielded calls about Waddle. That's a good thing. Keeping Waddle may be a good thing as well.
Some have speculated that the decision not to trade Waddle was more based on Kelly hoping to keep his job. If that is the case, he shouldn't be in that position. A general manager needs to do what's right for the team in spite of the optics of their own job. If Kelly was that close to pulling off a deal, his future shouldn't be part of the equation.
The good news is that Waddle wasn't traded. That made fans a lot happier than they would have been had he been wearing black and gold right now. Miami has a lot of work ahead of it, and it is still up in the air as to who will eventually take over control of the team. This move may ultimately give Stephen Ross a reason to keep Kelly, or a reason to let him go.
The good news is that Waddle wasn’t traded, which is a relief to Dolphins fans who would’ve hated to see him wearing black and gold. Still, Miami has plenty of work to do, and it remains unclear who will ultimately take control of the team. This move could give Stephen Ross a reason to stick with Kelly, or a reason to move on