The Jaylen Waddle Extension Is A Tyreek Hill Insurance Policy
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) flips the ball in the air as he scores a touchdown against the New England Patriots during the second half of an NFL game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Oct. 29, 2023.
The Miami Dolphins agreed to terms on a contract extension with star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle on Thursday. Waddle is coming off his third consecutive season with over 1,000 receiving yards and was ranked #44th on the NFL’s Top 100, which is the highest he’s ranked so far in his young career.
For the past two seasons, Waddle has played alongside arguably the best wide receiver in the league in Tyreek Hill, who was the highest paid receiver in the league two years ago. Since then, the market rate for the top wideouts in the league has increased in conjunction with the ever-increasing salary cap. Amidst the silent standoff between young superstars Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb, the veteran Tyreek Hill is also seeking a new contract that would reset the market and make him the highest paid player at his position.
While Tyreek Hill is by far the best player on the Dolphins roster, he’s also 30 years old and has had his share of retirement rumors floating around in the past. This brings us back to the Jaylen Waddle extension. The primary reason why the Dolphins extended Waddle is cut and dry, as he’s one of their best young players. At the same time, the Waddle extension acts as an insurance policy in case Tyreek Hill asks for more than what the team is willing to give him at his age.
At some point, Hill will demand a boatload of money and things will start to get contentious. Don’t believe me? Just look at what happened with Kansas City. The Chiefs offered Hill a contract extension back in 2022, which he turned down because he wanted to be the highest paid wide receiver in the league, which ultimately led to him being traded to Miami. Tyreek believes he’s the best wide receiver in the league, and thinks he should be compensated as such, which is understandable.
The issue is, Dolphins GM Chris Grier has been hesitant to overpay for aging veterans, regardless of their importance to the team. Extension talks with star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins went nowhere the year before he was scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency. Ultimately, the Dolphins let him walk and he signed a massive four-year, $110 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason. Tyreek Hill is two years older and will cost more than Wilkins did.
It’s easy to forget now, but Jaylen Waddle was a budding star his rookie year with over 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie and the 8th most receptions in the NFL in 2021. The Dolphins also drafted two wide receivers – Malik Washington and Taj Washington, in the 2024 NFL Draft. If one of those guys develops into a reliable WR2 in the not so distant future, that makes Tyreek Hill even more expendable.
Miami doesn’t have a ton of cap space to work with in the future, and they still seem determined to extend Tua Tagovailoa and Jevon Holland who are both entering their prime. I think if push comes to shove, the Dolphins won’t be afraid to trade Tyreek Hill if the two sides can’t reach a mutually beneficial agreement. At the very least, having a young, yet Jaylen Waddle under contract is great for the Dolphins future, regardless of what happens with Tyreek Hill.
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