On Thursday, the Miami Dolphins traded third-year running back Kalen Ballage to the New York Jets in exchange for a conditional late-round draft pick.
Plot twist: The #Dolphins are trading RB Kalen Ballage to the #Jets for a conditional late-round pick, source said. Miami had planned to release him, but NYJ stepped in before it was official and the two have a deal.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 27, 2020
Ballage was already destined to be released by the Dolphins, which would have meant the team would have received nothing in return. While the draft pick that the team will receive from the Jets is marginal, it does offer the hope that the Dolphins can end up discovering a late-round asset in the future.
The 24-year-old Ballage was chosen by the Dolphins in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft and never really made an impact during his time on the field.
In 24 games during his first two seasons with the Dolphins, Ballage gained just 326 yards on 110 carries and scored four touchdowns. He also grabbed 23 passes for 119 yards.
Ballage’s best game in a Dolphins uniform came on Dec. 16, 2018, when he rushed for 123 yards on 12 carries in a 41-17 road loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
The lack of production from Ballage, coupled with the upgrades the Dolphins have made with their running game, made him expendable.