Just two days after Nico Collins got an extension with the Houston Texans, another wide receiver got a bag. Jaylen Waddle agreed on an extension with the Miami Dolphins on Thursday. The details are as follows: three years, $84.75 million with $76 million guaranteed.
Now a Dolphin through 2028, Waddle can continue to be a dependable weapon for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Impressive From The Jump
Waddle was selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, to no one’s surprise. The former Alabama product just knew how to produce, racking up at least 560 receiving yards in his three seasons in college. He only played in six games, but that was because it was a COVID-shortened season.
He had over 100 yards in each game played in 202, and shows off how dangerous of a deep threat he can be. With that said, Miami was impressed by the dynamic product and took him off the board at six.
Right away, he impressed. He had over 100 receptions for 1,015 yards and six touchdowns. Working with former college teammate Tua Tagovailoa, the chemistry was here from the beginning and only grew.
In 2022, the Dolphins traded for Tyreek Hill to make the receiving corps even more dangerous. Even with that move, Waddle still produced. He still had 75 catches and racked up an astounding 1,356 yards with eight touchdowns. The wideout helped the Dolphins get into the playoffs, but had just three catches for 44 yards in the wild-card loss to the Bills (Skylar Thompson, you… Never mind.)
2023 was a bit of a down year for Waddle, but that’s a bit of a reach to say so. He passed 1,000 yards for the third straight season. However, he had just four touchdowns and missed three games due to injury. Regardless, he did appear in the team’s lone playoff game in 2023, accumulating two catches for 31 yards in the 26-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Well-Deserved Extension
Jaylen Waddle deserves every single penny of that extension with the Dolphins. He’s proved to be a dependable target when healthy, and is outright explosive when he has the ball in his hands. Along with Tyreek Hill, you have the fastest 1-2 WR duo in the league.
The former Alabama product is consistent, holding the franchise record with three straight 1,000-yard seasons. Waddle has played in 47 games. Why is that worth mentioning? He has at least 100 yards in ten of those games. Impressive.
As of now, he is now one of the top-five highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL. Waddle’s $84.75 million contract puts him at fourth on the list, behind Hill, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and A.J. Brown.
With the money secured, all he has to do is continue to be a consistent, dangerous weapon for Tua Tagovailoa to target for years to come. It shouldn’t be hard, as Waddle has done it since he stepped on the field for the Dolphins and doesn’t look like he will be stopping any time soon.
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