Zach Sieler Wants to Stay in Miami, but Should the Dolphins Trade Him?

It’s that time of year again when everybody around the NFL starts getting antsy. 

From fans to the players themselves, everyone is refreshing their social media feed with the understanding that the next notification could change the course of a season. With just over three weeks remaining until the NFL’s trade deadline, contending teams are making their final efforts to find that missing piece that could put them over the top, while rebuilding teams are tearing down what's left of the house in hopes of building something better.

Although they’re yet to make an in-season trade, the Miami Dolphins fall into the second category.

Defensive tackle Zach Sieler, one of the league’s most underrated interior defenders over the past half-decade, could immediately bolster a contender in need of reinforcements along its defensive line, while his relentless motor and hard-nosed approach can only do so much for a Dolphins team that continues to crumble around him.

It's not a surprise then that Sieler's name invariably shows up when national media analysts put together stories examining the likely trade candidates before the November 10 deadline.

The ninth-year veteran has recorded 12 tackles, two sacks and 11 quarterback pressures through five starts this season, anchoring a defensive line that features a mix of veteran experience and intriguing young talent, including Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers.

“I haven't,” Sieler said when asked if he had considered the possibility of being traded. “I know people say rumors or talk whatever this time of year, but I'm here focused playing games here, win as a Dolphin, man. And we're doing a great thing. I'm excited for this next week coming up and coming off the bye ready to roll.”

Should Miami Keep Sieler?

Phillips and Biggers weren't mentioned without reason. The two second-year defensive linemen have shown enough promise to help round out a unit that, alongside  2025 first-round pick Kenneth Grant, is one of the few position groups on Miami's roster with both intriguing young talent and some semblance of rotational depth.

Meanwhile, teams like the Minnesota Vikings (5-0), Green Bay Packers (4-2) and Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) could use some reinforcements along their defensive fronts. All three ranked among the NFL's bottom four in interior defensive line pass-rushing grade, according to Pro Football Focus earlier this month.

For teams with legitimate postseason aspirations, giving up a draft pick or a promising young player for a proven veteran who could help them win right now might be worth the sacrifice.

And in Miami’s case, things can’t get much worse without Sieler, and he won't be getting any younger by the time the Dolphins are ready to possibly compete again.

There's no question the Ferris State product still has something left in the tank, but another 10-sack season is becoming increasingly difficult to envision. After cranking out double digits in consecutive seasons from 2023 to 2024, his production dipped to 5.5 sacks last year, and he’s at two through five games in 2026. 

At 31 years old, the further he gets from those career-high seasons, the harder it becomes for Miami to see a significant return in the trade market.

If the Dolphins were to trade Sieler over the next couple of weeks, they would see a modest cap savings for 2026 but take a $24.7 million dead cap hit next year, according to Spotrac. Sieler has three years left after this season on the extension he signed last year with cap hits of $21 million, $24 million and $23 million over those three years.

Trade or no trade, it's difficult to envision the Dolphins carrying Sieler at those cap numbers through the 2029 season.

But for Sieler, the idea of wearing another uniform isn't nearly as appealing as the opportunity to turn things around in the city he’s called home since 2019.

“I love it here. I've been here for how long? I want to win here as a Dolphin,” Sieler said when asked about his desired destination. “I think Hafley, Sully have done an amazing job here. I'm excited to see this team growing and where we're going and get some wins.”

Whether he'll get that chance very well could come down to what kind of trade offer, if any, the Dolphins get for his services. As a team captain, he has value to Miami beyond his play on the field, but the team still would have to at least consider the idea of getting a solid draft pick if given the opportunity.