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Jaylen Waddle posted three 1,000-yard seasons for the Miami Dolphins and lived up to his status as the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
But trading Waddle to the Denver Broncos at this moment makes complete sense.
And the value received ― reportedly picks in the 1st, 3rd and 4th rounds ― seems fair.
A fourth rounder will go with Waddle back to the Broncos.
It won't help first-year quarterback Malik Willis to lose a game-breaking player like Waddle.
But the Dolphins are in a reconstructive mode. And for first-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, draft picks must be the priority.
The Dolphins, in a rebuild arms race with AFC rival New York Jets, now hold these picks in the first three rounds of the next NFL Draft:
First Round (2), 11th and 30th
Second Round (1): 43rd
Third Round (4): 75th, 87th, 90th, 94th
Waddle is talented. It's also true that in its next iteration, Miami wants to get bigger and stronger.
Waddle is 5-feet-10, 185 pounds.
Waddle averaged 15.6 starts over his five Miami seasons, so one cannot really say he is injury-prone. But it is true that Waddle was often working through soft-tissue injuries to, for example, his ankles.
And Waddle did often seem to be shaken up at the end of pass plays.
Regardless, Waddle is a talented player and Sullivan had cited him as a player to build around.
There aren't many of those players left for Miami now. We can look at: De'Von Achane (who could be extended or, yes, traded), Aaron Brewer and Jordyn Brooks (who need new deals) and... hopefully, Malik Willis.
Well, look, Miami is largely starting a new cycle here.
Gather assets. Reset the salary cap.
The Broncos were willing to give up a pretty good return in part because Waddle's contract is reasonable.
Waddle, 27, has two years left on his deal with cap hits of $4.9 and $27 million. This was a good contract negotiated by Miami, one that left him tradeable, unlike a former college teammate.
The Dolphins are depleted at wide receiver, though clearly they'll select one or two of them in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft in April.
Miami is turning a page on a past era that failed to deliver a single playoff win.
Waddle is a popular player. His penguin touchdown celebration will go down in club lore.
But when things weren't going so well in recent years, there were times Waddle simply declined to do the Waddle after a score. He wasn't feeling it.
Miami moved back and then up in the 2021 NFL Draft.
They could have stayed put at No. 3 and selected Ja'Marr Chase or they could have used the No. 6 pick on tackle Penei Sewell. Either option may have been the better one, in retrospect.
It's not like Waddle didn't turn out to be a good-to-very-good NFL player.
He did. In fact, he played just well enough to turn into more valuable assets at a moment where assets are what Miami needs most.
Malik Willis: Malik has one of the strongest arms in the NFL. What it means.
Joe Schad: Dolphins' Malik Willis clearly plans to do his talking on the field
NFL Free Agency: Miami Dolphins' start is exceeding expectations
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins trade Jaylen Waddle to Broncos, signaling new era
Continue reading...
But trading Waddle to the Denver Broncos at this moment makes complete sense.
And the value received ― reportedly picks in the 1st, 3rd and 4th rounds ― seems fair.
A fourth rounder will go with Waddle back to the Broncos.
It won't help first-year quarterback Malik Willis to lose a game-breaking player like Waddle.
But the Dolphins are in a reconstructive mode. And for first-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, draft picks must be the priority.
The Dolphins, in a rebuild arms race with AFC rival New York Jets, now hold these picks in the first three rounds of the next NFL Draft:
First Round (2), 11th and 30th
Second Round (1): 43rd
Third Round (4): 75th, 87th, 90th, 94th
Miami Dolphins NFL Draft stockpile just got bigger
Waddle is talented. It's also true that in its next iteration, Miami wants to get bigger and stronger.
Waddle is 5-feet-10, 185 pounds.
Waddle averaged 15.6 starts over his five Miami seasons, so one cannot really say he is injury-prone. But it is true that Waddle was often working through soft-tissue injuries to, for example, his ankles.
And Waddle did often seem to be shaken up at the end of pass plays.
Regardless, Waddle is a talented player and Sullivan had cited him as a player to build around.
There aren't many of those players left for Miami now. We can look at: De'Von Achane (who could be extended or, yes, traded), Aaron Brewer and Jordyn Brooks (who need new deals) and... hopefully, Malik Willis.
Well, look, Miami is largely starting a new cycle here.
Gather assets. Reset the salary cap.
The Broncos were willing to give up a pretty good return in part because Waddle's contract is reasonable.
Waddle, 27, has two years left on his deal with cap hits of $4.9 and $27 million. This was a good contract negotiated by Miami, one that left him tradeable, unlike a former college teammate.
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The Dolphins are depleted at wide receiver, though clearly they'll select one or two of them in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft in April.
Miami is turning a page on a past era that failed to deliver a single playoff win.
Jaylen Waddle trade shows Dolphins turning page
Waddle is a popular player. His penguin touchdown celebration will go down in club lore.
But when things weren't going so well in recent years, there were times Waddle simply declined to do the Waddle after a score. He wasn't feeling it.
Miami moved back and then up in the 2021 NFL Draft.
They could have stayed put at No. 3 and selected Ja'Marr Chase or they could have used the No. 6 pick on tackle Penei Sewell. Either option may have been the better one, in retrospect.
It's not like Waddle didn't turn out to be a good-to-very-good NFL player.
He did. In fact, he played just well enough to turn into more valuable assets at a moment where assets are what Miami needs most.
Malik Willis: Malik has one of the strongest arms in the NFL. What it means.
Joe Schad: Dolphins' Malik Willis clearly plans to do his talking on the field
NFL Free Agency: Miami Dolphins' start is exceeding expectations
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins trade Jaylen Waddle to Broncos, signaling new era
Continue reading...
