NFC team could make a perfect draft-day trade partner for Dolphins

With under a week to go until the 2026 draft, the Miami Dolphins face a pivotal selection process. First-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has the difficult task of starting yet another rebuild for an organization that has failed the last several attempts. Sullivan has hinted at what his approach could be and gave South Florida reporters several indications of his mindset, especially in a potential trade situation.

"If the board is sitting right, it becomes a numbers game, alright," Sullivan said in his pre-draft media availability this week. "If somebody offers something, you look up there, and you go, ‘Hey, I know I can get, there’s five players left up there at equal value, and I only have to go back three spots. It’s a conversation.'

Having taken in that comment, there's a potential opportunity that could arise in this exact scenario at the end of Day 1, where Miami is currently slotted to pick at No. 30 following their initial selection at No. 11. As rumors and speculation across social media swirl, the Arizona Cardinals could make the call to Sullivan, wanting to move up from pick No. 34 to No. 30, to select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson if he's still available.

While the move back for Miami would only be four spots on the board, each team could chalk this up as a perfect match. The Cardinals would be able to not only get their potential franchise signal-caller, but also have that valuable fifth-year option at the game’s most premier position.

For Sullivan and the Dolphins, his quote could come to fruition, as a player he’d target at pick No. 30, could very well still be there at No. 34. Additionally, how the trade could work, it could get Miami an upgraded pick situation in what is a long gap of selections during Day 2.

Hypothetically, the Cardinals could send pick Nos. 34, 65, and 183 for Miami’s Nos. 30 and 94. This would shorten a 32-pick gap for Sullivan from rounds two to three and still keep Miami picking seven players in the top-90, and five in the top-75, instead of four. As a sweetener to the deal, Miami could re-enter the sixth round, where they are without a pick at the moment.