The Miami Dolphins got back in the win column on Sunday, picking up a huge victory over the Atlanta Falcons. While the win temporarily stopped the sky from falling, the Dolphins aren't quite out of the storm yet. They are still a 2-6 football team, and for that reason, everyone expects them to be sellers at the trade deadline.
The reality is Miami's season is too far gone to save, so it makes sense to move veteran players who won't be a part of the team's future.
The most obvious trade candidates are edge defenders Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips. While it would make sense for Miami to move the two outside linebackers, trading them would be bad for the immediate performance of the team.
Dolphins trading Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips would be a white flag on the Mike McDaniel era
Chubb is a two-time Pro Bowler at a premium position, and contending teams are always looking for players that fit those categories.
Phillips, on the other hand, is a promising pass rusher whose career has been affected by injuries. He's now healthy, but he's playing on the final year of his rookie contract, on a struggling team. That makes him an ideal trade candidate.
Moving the two guys would give the Dolphins some draft picks for an inevitable rebuild, but it would also be a sign that Miami is punting on the season. Taking two solid players off an already struggling defense makes it clear that the priority in Miami is clearly the future. Once that is the case, firing head coach Mike McDaniel would just be a formality.
However, the Dolphins might argue that things can't get much worse defensively. Unless the franchise truly believes it can win eight of its next nine games, Miami might as well start building for the future.