Count Tyreek Hill among the many who think the idea that the Miami Dolphins might trade Jaylen Waddle as ridiculous.
Hill took to the social media platform formerly known as Twitter Wednesday to weigh in on speculation, supercharged by ex-Dolphins GM Mike Tannenbaum this week, that Waddle could be on the move this offseason.
Miami Dolphins Tyreek Hill: Jaylen Waddle Better Than Me in Year 3
Tannenbaum, rightfully pointing to the Dolphins’ well-documented cap issues and likely need for a cornerback should they cut Xavien Howard this offseason, floated a hypothetical trade on ESPN this week:
Waddle for Chiefs All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie.
Hill’s take, via three X posts?
No way.
“I’m all the way in Greece right now and I get on Twitter to see people talking crazy about dolphin football,” Hill wrote. “My boy waddle is the future, he is better than I was at this point in his career and for people in this fan base to want to trade him is ludicrous. 🥹 Him and Tua was special before me and will be special after I leave. 🥹”
Hill, who was traded to the Dolphins before the 2022 season, is right. Waddle was on the all-rookie team in 2021 after breaking the NFL rookie receiving record (with 104 catches). That record has since been broken again by Rams receiver Puka Nacua (105).
And Hill surely knows that, barring a drastically reduced contract, he’s got two years max left with the Dolphins. Hill’s base salary in 2026 is an absurd $43.9 million — which is more than all but four quarterbacks are set to earn in 2024. He will not see that sum barring a drastic increase in the salary cap.
But Tannenbaum’s proposal has merit beyond simply the Dolphins’ need at corner.
Waddle is eligible for a contract extension this offseason and will almost assuredly want one by next offseason (assuming the Dolphins pick up his fifth-year option).
Where will he fall on the team’s list of priorities to pay, considering Tua Tagovailoa, Jevon Holland, and Jaelan Phillips all will want raises too?
Plus, there’s one other factor, which we pointed out last month:
While they are both great individually in 2023, the Dolphins’ offense didn’t really click when Hill and Waddle were both on the field.
Of the four possible personnel groupings — both Waddle and Hill on the field, Waddle but not Hill on the field, Hill but not Waddle on the field, and neither on the field — the splits are telling.
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The Dolphins’ passing offense, as expected, was at its worst when neither was on the field. But it was also worse in 2023 when both were on the field compared to just one of the two.
If we know this information, certainly Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel do as well.
UPDATED (3:20 p.m.): Waddle has since weighed in as well, writing.
“D— TWIN THEM PPL TRYNA GET YA BOY GONE 😂😂😂😂!! COLD WORLD WE LIVE IN 😂😂😂😂”
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