Miami Dolphins fans are calling for Jaylen Waddle to be dealt elsewhere after finishing his third consecutive 1,000-yard season. His All-Pro teammate, Tyreek Hill, begged to disagree by tweeting his sentiments.
Hill posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“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.”
Tyreek Hill calling out the #Dolphins fans that want the team to trade Jaylen Waddle
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) February 21, 2024
“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” pic.twitter.com/YbE00eVScs
While Waddle played in only 14 regular season games, he had 1,014 yards and four touchdowns. However, their season ended with a defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card Round, wherein Waddle had two catches for 31 yards.
Conversely, Hill led the league with 1,799 yards with 13 touchdowns. It’s his second consecutive 1,700-yard season, both with the Dolphins.
The Dolphins selected Waddle sixth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, pairing him with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. A year later, they traded for Hill in exchange for five draft picks, including their 2022 first and second-round picks. They also made him the highest-paid wideout after offering him a four-year, $120 million contract.
Armed with an explosive offense featuring Tagovailoa, Hill, and Waddle, the Dolphins raced to an 11-4 record with two games left in their regular season schedule. A victory in either Week 17 or 18 would have earned them the second seed, giving them home-field advantage at least until the Divisional Round.
Instead, they fell to number six after losing both games. They faced the Chiefs under freezing conditions at Arrowhead Stadium and scored only seven points in the elimination game.
The Dolphins have much work to do to retain their best players, like Waddle and Hill, because they are $51 million over the projected salary cap in 2024.
-Lance Fernandez