The Miami Dolphins have traded linebacker Raekwon McMillan and a 2021 fifth-round draft pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2021 fourth-round draft pick, Dolphins coach Brian Flores confirmed Saturday.
The net gain for the Dolphins is a Day 3 pick swap while the Raiders get a run-stuffing linebacker who can compete for playing time in a position group in which they need some depth.
"He's somebody who I have a lot of respect for," Flores said of McMillan. "He's a talented player. ... He's someone who I think will have a long career but there's a lot of depth in that room."
McMillan, who started 28 games for the Dolphins over the past two seasons, fell down the team's depth chart after the offseason additions of Elandon Roberts and Kamu Grugier-Hill. He also didn't appear to be a fit in what the Dolphins wanted to do in their new defense and it was reflected in his playing time during training camp. He was firmly on the roster bubble and a candidate to be released on cutdown day.
With McMillan's absence, Dolphins linebackers Roberts, Grugier-Hill, Kyle Van Noy and Sam Eguavoen all are expected to see an increased role on defense and special teams moving forward.
McMillan, a 2017 second-round pick out of Ohio State, is entering the final year of his contract. He has 177 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.