Jaylen Waddle Trade Stance by Dolphins Reportedly Not Expected to Change by NFL Execs

The 2025 NFL season is spinning off the rails for the Miami Dolphins, but they aren't planning to deal wide receiver Jaylen Waddle ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"While Miami could be tempted to trade players due to its 1-6 record, Waddle is a building block on offense, and he's due $36.1 million in cash over 2025-26 — reasonable for a high-end receiver these days, Fowler said. "Multiple league execs expect the Dolphins' no-trade stance to stand, barring a surprise."

This year has been nothing short of a disaster for Miami. Franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is regressing in a big way. Head coach Mike McDaniel looks like a lame duck as the losses keep piling up. Star wide receiver Tyreek Hill is out for the year with a major knee injury and might've played his last game for the Dolphins.

In a broad sense, being a seller at the deadline is a smart play in the right circumstances. The front office shouldn't tear the roster down to the studs, though, because this is still a team that made the playoffs in 2023 and was still in the postseason picture deep into 2024.

As Fowler laid out, Waddle is a piece the Dolphins can lean on beyond 2025. He's signed through the 2028 season, and his importance to the passing game will only grow if Miami severs ties with Hill.

And despite Tagovailoa's struggles, Waddle is continuing to put up respectable numbers. He has 30 receptions for 405 yards and three touchdowns, and his 57.9 yards per catch are up slightly from 2024.

If another team is willing to put a lot of draft capital on the table, then a trade might be worth considering for general manager Chris Grier. Otherwise, there's little reason to seriously entertain the idea.