Here’s why Jaylen Waddle is No. 5 on our Dolphins’ Top 20 players
(Part of a series counting down to the start of 2024 Dolphins training camp.)
At age 25, Jaylen Waddle already has cemented several places in the record book.
The next season in which he fails to top 1,000 receiving yards also will be his first.
His reward recently was a three-year extension that includes $75 million in guaranteed money.
It’s that kind of payout and that kind of production that make it clear everyone’s happy with the sixth overall choice in the 2021 draft by the Dolphins.
Why Waddle is No. 5
Clearly, it’s for his touchdown celebration — the waddling, penguin dance.
OK, it’s worth at least a few bucks by itself, but that’s not why Waddle is cashing in.
It’s because he’s still quite young, still one of the fastest players in the NFL and still on the ascent in his career, perfecting the art of running routes and presenting matchup heartaches for defenses who have to also sort out how to deal with Tyreek Hill.
Telling stat
Waddle had a career-low four touchdown receptions last season, a number surpassed by 53 NFL players.
There’s every reason to expect Waddle to return to the end zone in 2023 as often as he did in 2022 (eight times).
How we see Waddle’s future
We know Waddle isn’t going anywhere for the next few years. Maybe Hill isn’t, either, but Hill is nearly five years older than Waddle.
So whenever Hill should depart, it will be Waddle’s show. If these past few years are any indication, he’ll be ready.
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal. Click here to subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins 2024: Our Top 20 player countdown rolls on with Jaylen Waddle
