INDIANAPOLIS — Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle will again be the focus of the Miami Dolphins‘ offense in 2024.
General manager Chris Grier was crystal clear here Wednesday about the Dolphins’ plan to have Waddle on their roster this year and beyond, dismissing speculation that he might try to move the receiver this offseason to avoid having to pay him a long-term deal.
Miami Dolphins’ Plan for Jaylen Waddle
“As I said in the middle of the season, there’s no thoughts about trading Jaylen Waddle,” Grier said. “We want him here for a long time. He’s a big part of our now and our future here. He’s a great person on and off the field and we still think as good as he is, he still has a runway to keep getting better.”
Waddle, through three seasons, has caught 251 passes for 3,385 yards and 18 touchdowns. And at just 25 years old, there’s reason to believe Waddle’s best football is still ahead of him.
The same isn’t necessarily true of Hill, who turns 30 on Friday. Hill is coming off his best season as a pro — leading the NFL with 1,799 yards on 119 catches with 13 touchdowns — but there is reason to wonder at what point age will start diminishing his speed and effectiveness.
Plus, Hill can cause some off-the-field heartburn that Waddle never has.
Every few weeks there’s an unflattering story that emerges about Hill’s personal life. The most recent? Allegations in a lawsuit that he broke an Instagram model’s leg during a private blocking tutorial that went awry.
Grier, asked about the incident Wednesday, said the following:
“We were made aware of it. You know, we were in communication with NFL security, so, you know, I really can’t comment on any of that until we get all of our information and find out what happened. Tyreek has been a good addition for us. In terms of all the off-field stuff, we’ll have to get all the information before we can really comment on it.”
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Hill’s off-field antics, combined with his age and salary (he’s owed $88 million over the next three years, but just $19.7 million guaranteed), could mean that the Dolphins ultimately decide to keep Waddle and move Hill — perhaps as soon as next year.
But that’s only possible if the Dolphins don’t trade Waddle — which Grier made clear Wednesday is not happening.
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