Dolphins Receiving Calls On DL Calais Campbell

One of this era’s most accomplished defensive linemen, Calais Campbell signed a one-year, veteran minimum accord with the Dolphins this offseason. However, he may not complete a full season in Miami.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) and ESPN’s Adam Schefter report that the Dolphins have received trade inquiries on Campbell, who has started all seven of the club’s games this season while logging a 57% snap share. In that time, he has posted two sacks, 22 tackles (seven TFL), and three passes defensed.

That surface-level production is supported by a stellar 86.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which presently considers Campbell the fourth-best interior defender out of 122 qualified players. Given his performance and the fact that he is due a pittance for the remainder of the season, it is easy to see why rival clubs would be interested in making a trade for the stretch run.

By the same token, the Dolphins obviously would love to retain Campbell to assist in their own playoff push. The problem is that the ‘Fins are currently 2-5, in third place in the AFC East, and have just a 7% chance of qualifying for the postseason, per NFL.com. Of course, the primary reason for their poor record to date is the fact that starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missed four full games due to a concussion.

With Tagovailoa now back in the lineup, Miami – which entered the season as a legitimate contender – hopes that it can make a real run at cracking the playoff field. That pursuit will begin with today’s matchup against the division-rival Bills, who currently boast a 6-2 mark.

Naturally, if the Dolphins should lose to Buffalo and drop to 2-6 on the season, they will be more inclined to trade Campbell, as Schefter notes. A loss would leave Miami with a mere 3% chance of making the playoffs, so a sellers’ move like dealing a 38-year-old player on a one-year contract would be a fairly easy call for GM Chris Grier to make.