Dolphins take firm stance amid Jaylen Waddle trade rumors

Dolphins take firm stance amid Jaylen Waddle trade rumors originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Miami Dolphins, at 1-5, are a team that many top contenders around the NFL are eyeing as a trade target this Fall. With the Dolphins having plenty of pass rushers available, they will be receiving a lot of trade calls in the coming weeks ahead of the deadline.

But, aside from their pass rusher depth, there have also been some trade rumors surrounding star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. It'd be a sign of complete surrender for Miami, as with Tyreek Hill out, their wide receiver room without Waddle would be barren.

But, amid those trade rumors, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport shared a report on the Dolphins' wide receiver. Rapoport reported that the Dolphins are, unsurprisingly, taking a firm stance on Waddle and have no interest in trading him this season.

Dolphins take firm Jaylen Waddle stance amid trade rumors

"Several teams have called the Dolphins about star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle," Rapoport writes, "and sources say those teams have been told Miami has no interest in trading him."

Moving on from Waddle would be a significant move for Miami to make, and would signal a full rebuild. With Tua Tagovailoa under contract and a lot of other solid pieces on both sides of the ball, it'd be a strange move, even at a 1-5 record.

Keeping Waddle would allow Miami to focus elsewhere in the 2026 NFL Draft, looking to add more on the defensive side of the ball, and also improve the offensive line.

Trading Waddle would create a huge hole in their wide receiver room, forcing Miami to allocate more resources at the position when other areas of their roster are more important.

Waddle signed a three-year, $84.7 million contract through the 2028 season, and barring any significant change, he's slated to stick around in Miami beyond the 2025 season.

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The Dolphins would certainly land a solid haul for the star wide receiver if they did move him, but such a trade might be better suited for the offseason when more teams need a wide receiver, and the price tag can go up even higher.

But for now, the dolphins aren't trading Waddle, as they reportedly have no interest in dealing the receiver. The reason why is clear, as Rapoport writes, "dealing Waddle would signal a look to the future rather than trying to win now."

Making such a decision, to focus on the future, isn't where the Dolphins' leadership is at. Whether it's the right decision or not, the Dolphins are trying to stay competitive not just in 2025, but in 2026 as well.

As much as teams across the NFL would love to try and trade for Waddle, this report all but shuts down those trade rumors. Waddle is expected to stick in Miami for at least another year, as the Dolphins instead shift their attention to other players on their roster to trade amid a 1-5 start to the season.

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