If the Miami Dolphins continue to lose games at the level they have, there will have to be some tough decisions from the front office over the next few weeks. The Dolphins weren’t expected to be a great team entering the year, but nobody shouldâve expected them to be as bad as they’ve played. Unfortunately, this might require the Dolphins to move on from some of their top players, including edge Jaelan Phillips.Â
Injuries have derailed Philipsâ time in Miami, something he dealt with throughout much of his college career, too. However, heâs still one of the better players on the Dolphins’ defense and is loved by the fan base.Â
Nonetheless, he might be better suited on a different team, including the San Francisco 49ers, after Nick Bosa went down with a season-ending ACL injury. That’s why Niners Wire Kyle Madson named him as one of the six defensive ends the 49ers should be taking a look at in a trade.
âPhillips is on his fifth-year option and a free agent after the season. The 2021 first-round pick had 22.0 sacks his first two-and-a-half years before being slowed down by injury in the second of 2022, 2023 and 2024. Despite the lack of production the last couple of seasons, it may be worth a late-round pick to see if the 49ers can get Phillips back to the form he had early in his NFL career,â he wrote.
Would Jaelan Phillips Find Past Form With 49ers?
On paper, Philips would be the ideal replacement for Bosa. While Bosa has been a bit better than the Miami Dolphins’ pass rusher, that doesn’t take away from what Philips has done throughout his career. If he hadn’t dealt with the injuries, many would view him as a much better player than some currently consider him. His best season came during the 2021 campaign, when he posted 8.5 sacks. He also impressed in 2022, finishing with seven sacks.Â
Garrett Kerman of Clutch Points views him as the answer for the 49ers’ problems because teams will now have an opportunity to double instead of worrying about Bosa, which Phillips would change.
âThe 49ersâ defense has been dominant in recent years, powered by a relentless front seven anchored by Bosa. With him sidelined, defenses will worry less about double-teaming off the edge, and that dramatically alters San Franciscoâs scheme. Insert Phillips, and the damage can be mitigated,â he wrote.
What Could the 49ers Give the Dolphins for Jaelan Phillips
Kerman later proposed the following trade for the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins.Â
Miami Dolphins receive:
2026 first-round pick
2027 third-round pick
EDGE Drake Jackson
âFor Miami, this deal provides a premium first-round pick that replenishes their ability to draft high-impact youth in the coming years. They also gain a promising young edge rusher in Jackson, who has shown flashes of breakout potential but hasnât fully carved out his spot with the 49ers. In a larger role, he could develop into a solid contributor for the Dolphins while being cost-controlled. Adding a third-rounder sweetens the pot, giving Miami additional maneuverability in the draft.â
A first-round pick for Phillips is very unlikely due to his injuries, but if the Dolphins somehow got anything close to that, they need to hang up the phone and send him to San Francisco that moment.Â
This team needs as many assets as possible to move forward.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Dolphins-49ers Trade Idea Sends Miami Star to Replace Nick Bosa appeared first on Heavy Sports.