Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports that Calais Campbell was almost traded from Miami to the Baltimore Ravens at the trade deadline, but head coach Mike McDaniel stepped in and prevented the trade. Per the report, McDaniel told Campbell to his face in a meeting that he was too valuable to the team and he didn’t want to lose him.
The report states Miami would have acquired a 5th-round pick in 2026.
The #Dolphins were on the cusp of trading Calais Campbell to the #Ravens… until coach Mike McDaniel stepped in.
Miami wasn’t dead and he viewed Campbell as too valuable. My story on a near trade before two straight wins: https://t.co/mBNh4z0rFIhttps://t.co/mBNh4z0rFI
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 24, 2024
Per Rapoport: “McDaniel couldn’t get behind dealing one of their team leaders and defensive stalwarts, even if it would clear some money and bring back a 2026 fifth-rounder for a team that was then 2-6 and without a lot of hope for a turnaround.
McDaniel valued the leadership and kept the faith in his team.”
The 38-year-old Campbell, who may be playing his final season in the NFL, has four sacks and 26 tackles on the season. There was a lot of chatter that he would want to be traded to a contending team with a chance to win a Super Bowl in his final season.
Many were surprised he wasn’t traded at the time of the trade deadline.
While Miami still has a remote chance of making the playoffs this season, it is a narrow road to get in, and if they get in, the odds of them winning a game or going on a run are very unlikely.
Campbell is a leader on this team and a voice that commands respect in the locker room; in the big picture, Miami may regret not having the extra 5th-round pick they would have got in return for him come when Campbell is either retired or playing for another team, and the Dolphins are looking to rebuild their defensive line over the next two seasons.
It is very obvious this story was leaked by Chris Grier to absolve himself if Miami fails to make the playoffs, and the blowback is that he should have traded Campbell to get that extra draft pick. Now, all of that blame will go to McDaniel as Grier can stand by and say “not my fault.”
