5 tight ends the Dolphins could trade for to fill the massive hole left by sending Jonnu Smith to the Steelers
This time of year, football fans are starving for NFL news. And the Miami Dolphins made sure to feed fans everywhere with a blockbuster trade that sent Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a deal that landed them Minkah Fitzpatrick. Jonnu Smith might not have been the headliner of this trade, but […]
This time of year, football fans are starving for NFL news. And the Miami Dolphins made sure to feed fans everywhere with a blockbuster trade that sent Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a deal that landed them Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Jonnu Smith might not have been the headliner of this trade, but his departure is going to arguably leave a larger impact on the Dolphins roster than that left by Ramsey. The Dolphins now arguably have the worst TE room in the league, and reports already point toward them being willing to trade for a TE elsewhere.
5 TE trade candidates the Dolphins should target
Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
Kyle Pitts has been mentioned in trade rumors all offseason long. The former first round pick hasn't quite lived up to his draft selection with the Atlanta Falcons. His athleticism and talent got him drafted, and he has flashed the ability to be a true game changer on the field, but he hasn't been anywhere near consistent enough. Pitts would give the Dolphins arguably the most upside of any option available for them to target. He hasn't been traded this offseason, though, despite being in so many rumors, which tells you the Falcons may want more in return than people have been willing to offer. We will have to see how desperate the Dolphins feel after trading Smith away.
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears
Cole Kmet has been a productive player and is owed $10 million in each of the next three seasons. 2025 is the only salary that is guaranteed. Chicago just invested a top-10 draft choice in another tight end, Colston Loveland, renewing some speculation about the long-term outlook of Kmet amid a new head coach and scheme in Chicago.
The appeal for Miami is that Kmet has been a snap hog who has logged over 900+ snaps in three of his last four seasons and has a knack for the end zone. Just 26 years of age, he's in the prime of his career and feels like a more splashy option from a compensation and asset perspective than Miami may have an appetite for.
Michael Mayer, Las Vegas Raiders
Michael Mayer has had a relatively uneventful start to his NFL career after long being considered a prized prospect. Given the fact that the Raiders have hit the reset button and already have Brock Bowers as their anchor in the room, this may be the most economical direction the Dolphins could choose to go with, targeting a new face for the position. Mayer has 48 receptions for 460 yards and two scores in his two NFL seasons, but he did miss time last season on account of personal reasons, so there is some potential risk present for Miami.
The Dolphins are operating with a renewed cash-conscious approach this offseason, though. Mayer is owed $1.59 million in salary this year and $2.02 million in 2026. It will be hard to find a better blend of upside and low cash — but his status on a rookie contract and as a former top-35 draft choice may prompt the Raiders to ask for a higher price than his accolades justify.
Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
The most proven commodity that the Dolphins should make a call about is Ravens three-time Pro Bowler and one time All Pro Mark Andrews. Andrews had his fair share of struggles last season as he made his return from a major injury that cut his 2023 season short. Even through the struggles, he finished with 11 touchdowns, the most by any TE in the league. However, his 673 receiving yards were the lowest amount he has had in a season where he played in at least 11 games since his rookie year. The Ravens are most likely going to have to make a decision in the near future between keeping Andrew or the younger Isaiah Likely. They can get more via trade for Andrews, and the Dolphins would probably prefer the instant production he would bring them anyway.
Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks have set the stage for a potential transition within their tight end room with the drafting of Elijah Arroyo. It marks the second straight season that Seattle has added a tight end with a mid-round draft choice; they appear to have found success already with AJ Barner. Given the two youngsters on rookie contracts, the presence of middle of the field targets such as Cooper Kupp and Jaxson Smith-Njigba, and Fant's $13.41 million cap charge in a contract year, there may be an opportunity to offload the veteran.
Fant, who signed a two-year, $21 million contract to stay in Seattle last spring, played 569 snaps last season, a career low.
The Dolphins’ blockbuster trade with Pittsburgh is a high-stakes move that underscores Miami’s fragile balancing act in 2025
The Dolphins’ blockbuster trade with Pittsburgh is a high-stakes move that underscores Miami’s fragile balancing act in 2025
Dolphins trade Jalen Ramsey to Pittsburgh — and the other surprise names included make this deal one of the offseason’s wildest yet
Talk about the all-time plot twist. The Miami Dolphins are finally trading disgruntled cornerback Jalen Ramsey. That's the good news for Miami. Ramsey, who has been reportedly on the outs with the Dolphins since the early portions of April, is now set to head to the Steel City and will play this season with the […]
