Miami’s rough start has turned up the trade-noise volume. As the deadline approaches, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports the Dolphins have been fielding “lots of calls” on edge rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, a sign contenders are circling while a 1-5 Miami weighs short-term needs against longer-term flexibility.
Chubb’s contract and Phillips’ upside make both attractive, and make Miami’s calculus complicated if the slide continues.
Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN reports that Chubb expects to suit up on the short week despite being listed as an estimated DNP to open preparations for Thursday night at Baltimore.
“I’ll be good. It is just one of those things, you got a short week, things flare up from the game before, you just want to make sure you get on it and correct it,” Chubb said of his shoulder/foot issues.
That availability matters. Miami’s pass rush has been one of the few levers keeping games close while the offense sputters and the penalty count spikes. Getting Chubb active on TNF gives the Dolphins a chance to lean into pressure looks and shorten drives against a Ravens team that punishes missed tackles and loose edges.
Even one high-impact defensive series can swing field position for an offense that’s struggled to sustain on third down.
If front-office phones keep ringing, Miami still has to thread the needle: maximize present value from top defenders while not removing the very pass rush that can stabilize a locker room on a short week. Phillips’s rookie-deal timeline and Chubb’s veteran price tag pull in different directions; either move would signal how aggressively GM Chris Grier plans to retool.
Chubb isn’t shrinking from the noise. After the 32-6 loss in Cleveland, he urged accountability and cleaner play, noting discipline and tackling were nowhere near the standard, and acknowledging that finger-pointing won’t fix a team flagged 11 times for 103 yards with four turnovers. Trade chatter or not, he’s treating Baltimore as an immediate chance to reset the tone and, perhaps, the market’s perception of Miami’s trajectory.
