Miami Dolphins–New Orleans Saints Trade History

Miami sent Jeff White to New Orleans for a 1974 seventh-round selection and used the pick on Carl Swierc at No. 164. Swierc did not produce a regular-season NFL career for the Dolphins. White likewise did not provide a Saints regular-season contribution after the trade, leaving both clubs without meaningful direct football value from the assets they acquired.

Miami sent wide receiver Melvin Baker to New Orleans for a 1976 seventh-round choice used on Joe Ingersoll. Baker appeared in two games with one start for the Saints before moving on, while Ingersoll never logged an NFL regular-season career. Neither return was substantial, but New Orleans at least received brief on-field production, giving the Saints a narrow edge.

Miami traded quarterback Guy Benjamin to New Orleans on August 28, 1980 for a 1981 fourth-round pick and a 1982 seventh-rounder. Benjamin played only two games for the Saints before they moved him again. Miami's fourth-rounder, Sam Greene, did not stick, but seventh-rounder Dan Johnson became a productive Dolphins tight end with 66 games, 34 starts, 1,012 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. Miami won the exchange.

On 1983-08-03, Miami Dolphins received Ed Simonini, while New Orleans Saints received future considerations (details not identified). The final verdict is Even Trade, with Miami Dolphins graded C and New Orleans Saints graded C. The hindsight view follows the documented consideration and later traceable value without treating every named pick outcome as if it had been directly exchanged on trade day. Any conditional, undisclosed, or unidentified component is credited only to the extent that the surviving evidence establishes it.

Miami acquired Ricky Williams and moved up 11 spots in the fourth round, while New Orleans received Miami's 2002 first-rounder, the lower fourth-round pick and a conditional 2003 selection that became a first-rounder. Williams immediately led the NFL with 1,853 rushing yards in 2002 and remained highly productive in 2003. New Orleans turned the premium picks into Charles Grant and part of the package used to draft Johnathan Sullivan.

New Orleans acquired linebacker Derrick Rodgers from Miami in May 2003 for a 2004 seventh-round pick. Miami gained a future late-round asset and the Saints added an experienced defender at a very low acquisition cost. Neither side created a major long-term advantage, but New Orleans received usable veteran depth for a pick with limited expected value, giving the Saints a narrow edge rather than a decisive win.

On 2005-10-11, Miami Dolphins received conditional seventh-round draft choice, while New Orleans Saints received Jesse Chatman. The hindsight verdict is Even Trade, with Miami Dolphins graded C and New Orleans Saints graded C. The evaluation follows the documented consideration and the football value that can be traced from it, while keeping unverified downstream pick identities or conditional outcomes out of the final judgment.

Miami sent veteran kicker Olindo Mare to New Orleans for the 199th pick in the 2007 draft, which became guard Drew Mormino. Mare lasted only the 2007 season with the Saints and made 10 of 17 field-goal attempts. Mormino never appeared in a regular-season game for Miami, leaving both clubs with limited and short-lived value from the exchange.

Miami acquired Reggie Bush and a later sixth-round pick from New Orleans for safety Jonathon Amaya and a sixth-round pick. Bush immediately delivered the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career and produced more than 2,600 yards from scrimmage across two Dolphins seasons. Amaya played only briefly for New Orleans, leaving Miami with a strong return for a very modest package.

Miami traded the No. 82 pick to New Orleans for two fourth-round choices, Nos. 106 and 109. The Dolphins used No. 106 on tight end Dion Sims and later moved No. 109 in another draft-day trade. New Orleans used No. 82 on defensive tackle John Jenkins, who immediately joined the Saints' interior rotation and spent four seasons with the club.

Miami acquired young receiver Kenny Stills from New Orleans for linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and the 78th pick in the 2015 draft. Stills gave the Dolphins four productive seasons and was a legitimate deep threat. The Saints received useful linebacker play from Ellerbe and used No. 78 on defensive back P.J. Williams, who remained with New Orleans for years. Both sides gained value, but the two-piece Saints return lasted longer.

New Orleans acquired Chris McCain from Miami for a conditional 2017 seventh-round pick that did not convey. McCain appeared in only two games for the Saints, recording one tackle and no sacks before New Orleans waived him in November. Miami therefore received no draft asset, while the Saints received only brief depth service. New Orleans still holds the narrow hindsight edge because two regular-season appearances are more than the Dolphins realized, but the original B-range framing is too generous.

Miami traded down from No. 48 and received No. 62, No. 202 and a 2020 second-rounder. The Dolphins later used No. 62 in the Josh Rosen deal, drafted Isaiah Prince at 202 and selected Raekwon Davis at No. 56 in 2020. Those returns produced some value, but they did not match New Orleans' long-term payoff from Erik McCoy.

Miami acquired linebacker Vince Biegel from New Orleans in a straight player swap for Kiko Alonso immediately after the 2019 roster cutdown. Biegel played 15 games, started 10, recorded 59 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks and an interception. Alonso played 13 games with four starts for the Saints before a serious postseason knee injury ended his season.