Heading into the 2024 NFL season, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Miami Dolphins would be buyers at the trade deadline.
Sure, there's no guarantee any team makes a trade, as, on average, roughly half of the teams don't make a deal on or before the deadline once the season starts, but the Dolphins were expected to be in an incredibly competitive division and would surely need some additional midseason firepower to get where they wanted to be at the end of December, January, and ultimately February.
Unfortunately, 2024 really hasn't shaken out that way for the Dolphins, with some fans openly wondering if it would make more sense for Miami to sell off current assets for future ones in the name of talent evaluation.
What should Miami do? Should they trade away some of their big names in order to give young guys shots, acknowledging that their season hasn't gone as planned and opting against throwing bad money at good money? Or should the Dolphins say screw it, embrace the spirit of competition, and really go for broke in 2024, acquiring an elite player to put their team over the top, even if they already have a pretty big hole to dig out of? That decision, and the fallout around it, will all but certainly go on to define the season writ large.
1. Trade Jalen Ramsey to the Rams for a conditional fourth-round pick
When the Dolphins acquired Jalen Ramsey from the Rams back in 2023, it felt like a big deal.
Fresh off of some impressive play, multiple Pro Bowls, and a Super Bowl victory for good measure, Ramsey looked like the kind of defensive playmaker to help supercharge a secondary that had sky-high potential thanks to the presence of Xavien Howard and eventually Noah Igbinoghene.
Now at the time, some considered that the best cornerback trio in the NFL, with enough speed, size, and versatility to match up with darn near anyone, but fast forward to 2024, and only Ramsey is left standing, with Howard out of the NFL and Igbinoghene a deep reserve on the Washington Commanders. Ramsey, by contrast, remains a good-to-very-good cornerback playing alongside Kendell Fuller in base and Kader Kohou in the nickel.
If the Dolphins were leading the AFC East, had momentum at their back, and a strong path to the Super Bowl, Ramsey would certainly be one of the key players in that pursuit, but unfortunately, a 2-5, that feels far less likely than back in Week 1.
Disappointing? You bet, but hey, one team's misfortune is another team's opportunity, and even though they only have one more win in 2024, the Rams are rapidly ascending in a wide-open NFC West. If they secure a win over Seattle this weekend and rise to first place in the NFC West, the Rams might be willing to trade a mid-round pick, say a conditional fourth that could escalate to a three if they make it to the Super Bowl, to bring Ramsey back to town in pursuit of a second Super Bowl under Sean McVay.
Now granted, this wouldn't be the first time the Rams looked to load up on elite talent in the secondary in 2024, as they signed Tre'Davious White to a one-year contract over the offseason, but unfortunately, that didn't work out as planned. Trading for Ramsey, especially if White comes back in the deal, would give the team what they were after and provide a massive hype boost for fans in LA who always wished that the pride of Florida State University stuck around. And for the Dolphins? Well, they get an extended look at Cam Smith on the outside and can replace him next spring one way or the other if he isn't “the guy.”
2. Trade a conditional third-round pick for Devin Lloyd
If the Dolphins decide they want to be buyers instead of sellers at the trade deadline, one of the positions they should seriously consider upgrading is linebacker.
Why? Because David Long, their weakside linebacker over the past two years, just so happens to be the lowest-rated off-ball linebacker in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus, coming in at 80/80 with a rating of 37.0.
Now granted, maybe this is just a case of a small sample size impacting his overall production, as Long has only played 282 defensive snaps so far this season, but considering he was just average in 2023, with a 62.5 rating from PFF – ranking 56th out of 82 linebackers – it's clear Brooks just isn't a very good player, with every team having at least one, and most likely two linebackers who are better than he is.
Fortunately, there are a few options potentially on the market who could be good fits for what the Dolphins like to do, including Devin Lloyd, the former first round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars out of Utah State.
Standing 6-foot-3, 235 pounds with long arms and impressive ranginess, the PFF grading system has been far more kind to Lloyd in 2024, with the third-year pro having a 75.9 overall grade, a 64.5 pass rush rating, an 88.3 run defense rating – eight out of 154 qualifying linebackers – and a 64.1 coverage rating. Lloyd can play either linebacker position in a 3-4 defense, can remain on the field in defensive sub-packages, and could actually used as a weapon in Anthony Weaver's defense instead of being deployed defensively while Jordyn Brooks gets all of the glory.
If the Jaguars take a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9, which feels very likely, maybe the Khan family will decide the season is over and sell off quality assets like Lloyd, who could be in line for a massive contract extension as soon as next year. Should Lloyd be placed on the block, the Dolphins might just need to make a call, as he could be a player for the team not just in 2024 but beyond.
Dolphins Bonus: Should the Dolphins be buyers or sellers?
At 2-5, what should the Dolphins do at the trade deadline? Should they buy based on their potential, acknowledging that many of their losses came without their starting quarterback? Or should they admit that they lost even after Tongavailoa returned to the field and instead turn their attention to player evaluation, even if playing young guys doesn't necessarily mean they will be a worse team down the stretch?
That, folks, is the million-dollar question.
With the AFC East not necessarily out of reach but certainly the Buffalo Bills' to lose, the Dolphins have a tough path to the playoffs in 2024, where they will have to fight tooth and nail to get a wildcard berth in a pretty loaded conference. Factor in their strength of schedule moving forward, which is almost perfectly split between teams with winning and losing records, and it's safe to say GM Chris Grier has one of the more challenging jobs in the NFL over the next few weeks, as his season really could go any number of ways based on how Week 9 and the trade deadline shake out.
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