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Miami Dolphins wideout Jaylen Waddle enjoyed a solid rookie season in the pros, but there was one facet of his game with which he wasn't too happy. Speaking via the I Am Athlete Podcast, Waddle revealed he wasn't thrilled with his lack of yards per catch in 2021, indicating that's the area of his game he'd most like to improve.
It would stand to reason that he wasn't too pleased with that particular area of his game last year. Waddle was an elite receiver as far as most statistical measurements indicate, but he often found himself running short routes with little room to turn his receptions into big plays. Almost all of his 6 touchdown receptions were caught within the end zone on short passes from Tua Tagovailoa.
“I ain't gonna lie,” Waddle said on the I Am Athlete Podcast, “I think my average was like 9.5 [yards per catch] or something like that… I got to show something.”
Last year, Waddle recorded a rookie-record 104 receptions on 140 targets. He also surpassed the 1,000-yard threshold, finishing the year with 1,015 along with his 6 touchdowns. In reality, Waddle averaged 9.8 yards per catch, which wouldn't even place him among the Top 100 wide receivers. 49ers' stud Deebo Samuel led the NFL with 17.9 yards per catch, followed by Buffalo's Gabriel Davis and Cleveland's Donovan Peoples-Jones, each of whom had 17.6 yards per catch.
Most Dolphins fans will be more than thrilled with the rookie season Waddle turned in, and now that he's to team up with Tyreek Hill on the offense, he'll face less pressure from opposing defenses, opening him up to achieve his goal of improving his yards per catch.
