The Miami Dolphins are in the market for a No. 3 receiver.
That isn’t news. Here’s what is: They are one of several teams to express interest in ex-Cincinnati Bengals free agent Tyler Boyd, who remains available three weeks into free agency.
Should Miami Dolphins Seriously Pursue Tyler Boyd?
The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly, who covers the Pittsburgh Steelers, reports that a group of teams including the Dolphins have expressed at least “preliminary interest” in Boyd since the start of free agency.
Pittsburgh was in the mix early in the cycle, but Kaboly wrote that he’s “pretty sure the ship with the Steelers has sailed.”
The news that the Dolphins have interest in Boyd shouldn’t be surprising. They need a No. 3 receiver behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and seemingly would prefer a veteran fill that role.
Two weeks ago, they hosted Odell Beckham Jr. on a free agent visit and made a contract offer, but it apparently wasn’t to his liking.
“Business takes time, especially with players such as him who have a phenomenal career who has really good football in front of him and has options,” McDaniel said last week at the NFL’s Annual League Meeting.
“I think those conversations will be ongoing, and we’ll see where they go; I don’t live in a world of crystal-balling, and I do stay in my lane as a coach,” he continued. “I’m definitely ready to coach him if we come to an agreement. I think both sides are trying to work toward that to make it happen.”
Boyd or Odell Beckham Jr.?
Given the NFL Draft is three weeks from Thursday, our sense is the Dolphins won’t significantly change any offer they have made to any free agents until they know what their roster looks like on May 1.
That’s a significant date. The team has positioned itself for two premium compensatory picks in 2025 after losing Christian Wilkins, Robert Hunt, and Andrew Van Ginkel in free agency. But once the calendar flips to May, they can sign anyone they want to any contract (that keeps them under the salary cap) without hurting their comp pick formula.
So who’s a better fit?
Both would likely play largely out of the slot for this Dolphins team, although each has positional flexibility.
Boyd is younger (he turns 30 this year; Beckham will soon be 32).
Boyd is almost certainly cheaper (his Spotrac market value on a one-year deal is $3 million less than Beckham’s).
And Boyd is more durable (he’s missed just three games in the past five years compared to 32 for OBJ).
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But Beckham, despite his age and injury history, is probably still the better player.
Boyd at this stage in his career is a possession receiver. He averaged career-lows in yards per catch (10) and yards per target (6.8) in 2023, although the Joe Burrow injury certainly contributed to that.
Beckham, meanwhile, had more touchdowns (3-2) and just 102 fewer receiving yards than Boyd, even though the latter had 34 more targets.
Our unsolicited advice to the Dolphins: Try to make things work out with Beckham — at the right price, of course.
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