The Miami Dolphins have pulled off a rare inter-divisional trade, landing offensive tackle Caedan Wallace from the New England Patriots.
The Miami Dolphins have needed to bolster their offensive line depth, especially at tackle, and they have done just that.
In a rare inter-divisional trade, the Dolphins are acquiring offensive tackle Caedan Wallace from the New England Patriots. The trade itself will be made official once Wallace passes a physical.
The full details have Miami receiving Wallace and a 2029 seventh-round pick, while sending over a 2028 sixth-round pick to New England.
Wallace was drafted by the Patriots in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft, but began to fall down the depth chart through the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Reports indicated the lineman was set to be released, but the Dolphins instead became the trade partner.
Miami has had offensive line issues in recent years, especially with the health of Austin Jackson being at the top of that list. Jackson has played in 14 games over the past two seasons, and his recent training camp injury pointed to a big depth concern.
With Jackson being sidelined due to his injury, backup right tackle Charlie Heck took over and was essentially bullied by linebacker Chop Robinson and the pass rush.
Jackson has since returned to practice, but the depth at tackle remained a viable concern for the Dolphins. Now, they can give Wallace a chance at his own redemption by competition for a backup or rotational place on the line.
Injuries are an unfortunately commonplace occurrence in the NFL, and that has been the case for the Miami offensive line.
Had Jackson remained out for any significant time, the Dolphins could have reshuffled the line, pushing rookie lineman Kadyn Proctor into the right tackle position, or even shuffling right guard Jonah Savaiinaea. Savaiinaea primarily plays guard, but his comfort playing on the right side of the line has been well-documented.
Proctor being moved off the left side was likely not what head coach Jeff Hafley or general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan wanted to do, as both have emphatically stated they see the rookie lineman as a strong starting left guard.
Proctor has also played well throughout training camp, drawing praise from coaches and fellow teammates. Center Aaron Brewer even referred to his play as "phenomenal."
Wallace may not be in line for a starting position, but he can offer some big upside in terms of a backup or rotational piece. A change of scenery might also benefit him in a major way.
