Patriots reportedly called Dolphins on potential pass-rusher trade
NFL insiders are sharing some interesting intel about the Patriots as part of the latest trade deadline rumors.
The New England Patriots continue to come up frequently in reports and rumors, as the NFL trade deadline looms.
One of the most notable new nuggets came in a sweeping Saturday story by Dianna Russini at The Athletic. She dropped all kinds of breadcrumbs about teams across the league and their possible moves ahead of the trade deadline, which officially passes Tuesday at 4 p.m. EST. As for the Patriots, Russini is hearing that they "are searching for a pass rusher but feel good about their offensive weapons," adding that a trade for a running back is a "possibility" due to their injury woes at that position.
It didn't stop there, though. Russini even named a specific team and player that the Patriots have called about a potential trade - and it's within the AFC East. Per Russini, the Pats are one of three teams (the others being the Eagles and 49ers) that have contacted the Miami Dolphins about trading for fifth-year edge rusher Jaelan Phillips. Miami, which according to Russini seeks at least a third-round pick in return for Phillips, is clearly shopping its pass-rusher group (including Bradley Chubb and ex-Patriot Matthew Judon) ahead of the deadline. Russini is hardly the first or only reporter to mention this. But it's notable that she made a direct connection between the Patriots and Dolphins. (UPDATE: The Dolphins traded Phillips to the Eagles for a 2026 third-round pick Monday morning, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network. As of this writing, Chubb and Judon have not been traded.)
An explosive edge rusher when on the field, Phillips has averaged eight sacks and 18.9 QB hits per 17 games in his career. Problem is, both of the previous two seasons were cut short due to major injuries. He tore his Achilles tendon in 2023 and partially tore his ACL in 2024. So far, so good for Phillips in 2025, as he's started all nine games for the Dolphins and played 73% of defensive snaps. He's logged three sacks and 18 total pressures in that span.
Phillips is still just 26 years old and is in a contract year, so he'd be an option for the Pats to lock up with an extension as well. He has the athleticism to fit in any defensive scheme, but Phillips seems like he'd especially thrive in Mike Vrabel's aggressive defensive front, with his quick first step and ability to bend around the edge in a hurry.
However, a third-round pick is a fairly steep price, for an injury-prone player in the last year of his deal. While it would be wise for the Patriots to invest in this year's team, which is vying for the AFC East crown at 7-2, Phillips isn't the kind of piece that puts them over the top for a championship run. So, the Pats don't necessarily need to go all-in to outbid the Eagles or Niners for this particular player.
But the Patriots should do something to bolster an edge-rushing group that has largely underwhelmed compared to their counterparts on the interior. And it sounds like they will.
