Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan acknowledged the difficulty of trading wide receiver Jaylen Waddle while defending the decision as part of the franchise’s long-term reset.
Speaking Tuesday on PFT Live from the NFL Owners Meetings, Sullivan offered a candid assessment of the move that sent Waddle to the Denver Broncos earlier this month.
“Anybody that sits in the chair that I sit in, in terms of roster building – you bite your lip a little bit when you watch good players walk out the door,” Sullivan said. “You’d be lying if you said otherwise, okay? We’re in a situation in Miami, where I think everybody gets it… we have to get younger, we have to get cheaper. Jaylen is a really good player. Jaylen’s 27 years old, he’s going to want a new contract, the receiver market is not going down, it’s going up. And by the time we hit our stride, I didn’t know if that made a lot of sense for us.”
Miami dealt Jaylen Waddle and a fourth-round pick to Denver in exchange for first-, third- and fourth-round selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, which will take place April 23–25 in Pittsburgh. The move reflects a broader effort by the Dolphins to reshape their roster under new leadership.
Jon-Eric Sullivan with a very transparent answer on why the team traded Jaylen Waddle:
"We have to get younger and cheaper. Jaylen is a really good player. Jaylen's 27 years old, he's going to want a new contract, WR market is going up.
By the time we hit our stride, I didn't… pic.twitter.com/QdgYNJswjg
— The List – Dolphins Podcast (@TheListFinsPod) March 31, 2026
Sullivan calls Jaylen Waddle trade a win for both teams amid Dolphins reset
Sullivan emphasized the financial and roster-building considerations behind the decision, noting the importance of adding young talent on cost-controlled contracts.
“I thought it was a really good trade for us because we got to put two rookie players on rookie contracts, if I do my job the right way they will be good players,” Sullivan said. “And they got to add a piece to an established team that may help them get over the top. So I thought George and those guys were phenomenal to work with. He did a great job in his negotiations. I felt like it was a fair deal and I felt that it was a win for both teams quite frankly.”
Despite the business rationale, Sullivan made clear the move carried personal and organizational weight, given Waddle’s impact on and off the field during his time in Miami.
“I need to say this publicly like [he’s a] phenomenal player and a really good person. He left an imprint on the people in Miami. We wish him nothing but the best but I feel like I did the right thing for the Miami Dolphins. It was not easy to watch him leave, that’s the truth,” Sullivan said.
The Dolphins are coming off a 7-10 season and have undergone sweeping changes, including a new coaching staff and front office structure. Trading Waddle represents one of the most significant moves of the offseason as Miami prioritizes youth, flexibility and long-term roster construction heading into the 2026 season.
