The Miami Dolphins made their first trade ahead of the 2025 NFL deadline. While there are plenty of players who could be on the move, Jaelan Phillips emerged as the most likely candidate to be moved.
He indeed was the first Dolphins player dealt. Miami shipped him off to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick. Miami is also reportedly taking on some of Phillips' contract, though the specific amount isn't known.
Seth Walder of ESPN handed out grades for this trade for both the Eagles and the Dolphins. While Philadelphia received a strong grade of an A-, the Dolphins received only a B- for their first move ahead of what could be a busy trade deadline.
Dolphins receive a B- grade from ESPN for Jaelan Phillips trade
While Walder said the Dolphins "absolutely did the right thing" by trading Phillips away by the deadline, he didn't think the Dolphins got as much as they could've for Phillips.
"I would have expected the Dolphins to net just slightly more for Phillips given the prospect of the compensatory pick for any team acquiring him, though." Walder writes.
The Dolphins are receiving a 2026 third-round pick from the Eagles for Phillips, but Philadelphia could net a 2027 compensatory pick if Phillips departs in free agency after 2025.
This fact is a huge reason why Walder didn't give the Dolphins a higher grade for their deal with the Eagles. Miami does land a guaranteed third-rounder for Phillips, while a compensatory pick is far from a guarantee.
More: What did the Dolphins get in return for Jaelan Phillips? Full trade details on deal with Eagles
But, as Walder also mentions, "If I had been the Dolphins and knew this was the best offer on the table, I would have taken it without hesitation."
Walder was hoping that Miami could land more for Phillips, akin to what the Buffalo Bills spent on Amari Cooper at the deadline (a third-round pick and a sixth-seventh round pick swap). This move from the Dolphins was a necessary one, and Miami got its asking price of a third-round pick.
But, between the potential for Phillips to net the Eagles a compensatory pick and the Eagles' third-rounder likely being near the end of the round, Walder gave the Dolphins a B- grade for their first move in the Champ Kelly era after Chris Grier's departure.
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