On Thursday morning, news broke of the Miami Dolphins’ decision to ink Jaylen Waddle to a lucrative contract extension, and Waddle’s teammates Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey reacted to the news on X (formerly known as Twitter).
JUST IN: Jaylen Waddle has signed an extension with the Miami Dolphins for three years and nearly $85 million, per multiple reports.
Here to stay! pic.twitter.com/DenO3VoAcu
— Dolphin Nation (@Dolphin_Nation) May 30, 2024
Couldn’t be more happier 😌
— Ty Hill (@cheetah) May 30, 2024
YEAHHHHH DUB! Get that munyun! BIG YEAR loading! https://t.co/sJdMzIRNeh
— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) May 30, 2024
Waddle staked his claim as one of the more productive young receivers in the NFL practically as soon as he began his career in the league. As a rookie in the 2021 regular season, he totaled 1,015 receiving yards, 59 first downs receiving and six receiving touchdowns across 16 games played (all starts) with Miami.
The 25-year-old has totaled 1,000-plus receiving yards in each of his first three seasons in the NFL, including 1,014 in 14 games played during the 2023 regular season.
While Waddle did tally one less receiving yard in his third year in the pros compared to his rookie year, it’s worth noting that he suited up in two fewer contests than he did as a first-year player. Meanwhile, sandwiched between his 2021 and 2023 seasons was a 2022 campaign in which he had a career-high 1,356 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns.
In 2023, despite the fact that Waddle did not play in three of the Dolphins’ 17 regular-season contests, he still ended up with the second-most receiving yards of any player on the team behind only Hill, who led the league with 1,799 total receiving yards in his second season with the Dolphins.
Waddle also finished second on the team in receiving touchdowns (four), second in yards per reception among players who received considerable playing time (14.1) and second in receiving yards per contest (72.4).
Arguably the receiver’s most memorable performance of his third season in Miami came in a 30-0 win over the New York Jets back on Dec. 17. He racked up a season-high 142 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown on eight catches against the fellow AFC East team.
Considering how productive Waddle has been in the early part of his NFL career, the Dolphins seemingly made a wise move by inking him to a three-year extension. Dolphins fans should hope that the former University of Alabama standout is a member of the team for a very long time.
