A rebuild is underway for the Miami Dolphins, which makes the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft wildly important. After moving on from a handful of talented players this offseason, the Dolphins need to hit on as many of their 11 draft picks as possible in order to ensure that their rebuild gets off on the right foot.
The problem for Miami is that, for all intents and purposes, the 2026 draft class isn’t considered particularly strong. The same thing isn’t true for the 2027 NFL Draft, which is widely expected to be superior to this year’s draft. With that in mind, NFL analyst Bill Barnwell of ESPN recently explained why the Dolphins should consider trading their haul of draft picks in this draft class for more selections in the 2027 draft.
Why Dolphins Should Try to Trade for 2027 Draft Picks
With guys like Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Bradley Chubb no longer in town, the Dolphins are starting from scratch. They have a new general manager (Jon-Eric Sullivan) and a new head coach (Jeff Hafley) leading the way now, and their first order of business has involved essentially resetting their team’s roster.
The biggest addition Miami has made saw it sign former Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis to come in and replace Tagovailoa under center. Aside from running back De’Von Achane, though, Willis doesn’t exactly have many guys around him on offense who can help him win games for the Dolphins.
Winning in 2026 isn’t exactly going to be a goal of Miami’s, but it’s not a stretch to suggest that the front office is likely eyeing some offensive playmakers in the 2026 draft class. And while that’s the right frame of mind for the team to take on, Barnwell advocated for the front office to flip some of its picks in the 2026 draft in exchange for more selections in the 2027 draft for a pair of notable reasons.
“This is partially about draft quality … Teams seem to be more excited about what might be on the table in 2027,” Barnwell wrote. “The other factor is based on information. Though Sullivan might not completely overhaul the Dolphins’ front office over the next few months, all of the preparation for this year’s draft was done by the former regime of Chris Grier and his staff. By next autumn, Sullivan will have more of his people in place.”
Dolphins Set to Be Busy During 2026 NFL Draft
GettyMIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JANUARY 22: Miami Dolphins General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan speaks as Jeff Hafley is introduced during a press conference at Baptist Health Training Complex on January 22, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Barnwell obviously isn’t suggesting that the Dolphins go out and trade every single one of their picks in the 2026 draft, but they are in a position where they can afford to move some of their picks, as their 11 selections are tied for the second-highest tally in the league. Teams aren’t exactly lining up to trade up in the first round right now, but that could change on draft day.
When you have as much flexibility as Miami has, that always is going to make it a team worth keeping tabs on once the draft rolls around. The Dolphins have a slew of different moves they could make once the draft arrives, but whatever they end up doing, it’s clear they need to nail it, because if they don’t, that could make the 2026 season and beyond quite painful.
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