Out of the many contract situations happening within the Miami Dolphins, one was handled about a week ago when star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was signed to a three-year, $84.75 million extension. During part of the Dolphins' team activities in the offseason Tuesday, he broke his silence and expressed his thoughts on the deal that fortifies his status as a crucial part of the team's offense for years to come.
Waddle has been nothing but exciting since he was drafted to Miami with the sixth overall pick in 2021 where in all of his three seasons, he has recorded over 1,000 receiving yards. He called the contract extension a “blessing” and one that shows how confidece the Dolphins are in Waddle to continue to put up his exceptional production according to NBC Sports.
“It’s a blessing, always a blessing to get an extension from the organization that brought you into the league,” Waddle said. “It says that they are confident in me. Like I said, they brought me into this league taking a chance — I was 22 coming off a major injury. So it’s always been love since I got here, and we were just happy to get something done.”
“You never know, man, it’s a business part on both sides, so you never know,” Waddle said on the uncertainty involving contracts and the business side of football via Scott Solomon of SI.com. “But it made sense for both sides and we were able to get it done.”
Waddle touches on what he wants to improve on with the Dolphins
Though Waddle has established himself as one of the best young receivers in the league, there is still a lot of aspects the 25-year old wants to better himself in. One of those that he honed in on during his time with the media was his “quick game” and overall just “staying consistent” throughout the season.
“Yeah man, a lot of things,” Waddle said. “Quick game is something I was going to emphasize on, I felt like I needed to work on it more in the offseason. It’s something that we really emphasized on, me and my trainer – shout out Gold Feet, my guy. So yeah, we’ve been working.”
“Just staying consistent man throughout the year,” Waddle continued. “Making the big plays in big games in big moments and really putting the team on our back when we need to. That’s going to be the next step for us.”
Waddle claims Tua Tagovailoa helped him get his contract extension
If there is one person who is excited about the news with Waddle now that he is signed to Miami long-term, it's star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is one of the players also working with the team on a possible contract extension. However, he said Tuesday how excited he was for his teammate not just on the Dolphins, but back when the two were at the University of Alabama.
“I was excited. I texted him,” Tagovailoa said. “We all texted each other – Jalen Ramsey, Terron Armstead, ‘Reek’ (Tyreek Hill). We all texted each other in a group chat congratulating him.”
Whether it be in college or at the professional level, the connection between Tagovailoa and Waddle has been stronger year after year as the two have helped each other grow with the Dolphins. Waddle would even say that he would not be in this position with a contract extension if it was not for the signal-caller and advocates for him to get paid as well according to the team's transcripts page.
“Yeah, Tua is my guy. I’ve been saying that for a long time. Without Tua, I don’t think I would’ve got the extension I got. So everybody is rooting for him. He’s our guy. Make sense, let’s get it done,” Waddle said which then spoke about his transformation in the offseason. “I told him – I missed chubby Tua, man. (laughter) I miss chubby Tua, man. I ain’t going to lie, I didn’t like when I saw him, I told him, I’m not (expletive) with it, I told him straight up, I’m not (expletive) with it. Eat some more or something, man.”
“Hair twisted and some other. I’m loving it though. He’s looking good, feeling good. Got to throw with him a lot this offseason, so he’s looking good.”
Tyreek Hill talks about Waddle getting an extension
Another player that was happy to see Waddle get paid was fellow receiver Tyreek Hill which the duo has been considered by many to be the best in the NFL. Hill would talk about witnessing the Alabama product's development from just starting as a “young pup,” even comparing himself to the young receiver.
“It’s great. It’s been awesome, man. Just to see his whole development from where he’s come from, because when I first got here, there were a lot of things that needed to be cleaned up. I was the same way too though – young pup, very explosive, fast, could move with some of the best of them,” Hill said. “But as far as with Jaylen (Waddle), he’s done a great job of taking on some of the things I’ve been telling him, and we have such a tremendous receiver coach in Wes Welker that he’s been listening to him also. Just to see him get paid, just to see him get recognized as one of the top guys in this league is awesome. It’s fun. Now his new nickname from me is 28. Every time I see him, I say, ‘What’s up, 28?’ It’s fun.”
The Dolphins offense was very explosive last season with Hill and Waddle being the dynamic duo that led to Tagovailoa leading the league in passing with 4,624 yards. Hill has no doubt helped Waddle become a better player as even the newly paid star calls him his “big bro.”
“Tyreek (Hill) has been great. That’s my big bro,” Waddle said via the team. “He helps me in all type of ways, off the field, on the field. Just really letting me be by his side and learn from him and he’s really able to teach me what makes him him.”
Hill dealing with his own contract situation with Miami
Besides Waddle and Tagovailoa, add Hill to that list of contract situations as the Dolphins superstar could be lookin for a pay raise with other receivers getting huge deals like just recently with Justin Jefferson. However, he would not go too much into detail saying that he is “going to let my agent do his job.”
“About the contract situation, I’m going to let my agent do his job. That’s his job,” Hill said. “His job is to be great at that, and my job is to obviously to come out here and continue to do whatever I can to help this team win. Whether that’s a restructure, whatever the case may be, we want to make sure that it benefits both sides and I want to be able to help the team as much as I can. That’s as much as I can say about it.”
In any sense, the Dolphins are looking to improve after a relatively successful season going 11-6, though they didn't win the division, and were eliminated in the first round by the Kansas City Chiefs. They will open next season on Sunday, Sept. 8 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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