Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
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(Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
The Miami Dolphins entered the season with low expectations, according to many. However, on paper, the Dolphins should be a lot better than they played in Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts.
While they’re dealing with some injuries already, players didn’t play as well as they were expected to, and other factors, there’s no excuse to lose to the Colts 33-8 in the first game of the season.
As the San Francisco 49ers tried to figure out their own things, with the offense struggling a bit against the Seattle Seahawks in a 17-13 win, there’s reason to believe the Dolphins could be a potential avenue for them to improve.
It’ll be interesting to see who the Dolphins decide to move on from, if it gets to that point, but some believe that they might trade speedy wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
Can the 49ers Land a Dolphins Star?
In a proposed trade idea from Christopher Kline of FanSided, he considered the idea of sending Waddle to the San Francisco 49ers. He added that the 49ers could view him as a WR1, something he hasn’t been for much of his career.
“Jaylen Waddle inked a four-year, $84 million contract in 2024, with a potential out after his $33 million payday in 2027. That’s a lot, but the San Francisco 49ers spent the offseason cutting costs in anticipation of an opportunity just like this. The Niners were reluctant to pay Brandon Aiyuk and straight up unwilling to abide [by] Deebo Samuel’s demands, but a 26-year-old of Waddle’s caliber, in the middle of his prime, is probably worth a gander…
“We still haven’t really seen Waddle as WR1 next to a competent quarterback. Purdy is far from elite, but he packs serious velocity behind his throws and this Niners offense can reach lofty heights at its peak. Christian McCaffrey is healthier this season, in theory, and the Niners will start to receive reinforcements in the weeks to come,”he wrote.
Would Dolphins Trade Jaylen Waddle?
Waddle is a tough player to evaluate and not exactly someone the San Francisco 49ers should go all-in for. There have been parts throughout his career when he’s been very good, but similar to some other players on the Miami Dolphins, he has games where he doesn’t show up in big moments.
He totaled just 744 yards last season and scored only two touchdowns. Since 2022, he has shown signs of regression almost every year.
Regarding how the Miami Dolphins felt about him earlier in the year, prior to the start of the regular season, it sounded like many thought he was going to have a great season.
“I think he’s shown his teammates who he really is,” coach Mike McDaniel said, perESPN. “I think one thing that you can’t really minimize is from a receiver’s perspective, having quarterbacks that you didn’t even practice with in training camp — that’s a difficult task. The way he worked on his game during the season has transferred into what we need to see from him, from every player.”
While that could impact the 49ers from having a chance to trade for him, it’s also fair to note that plenty has changed for the Dolphins over the past few days. Nobody expected this team to come out as poorly as they did against a below-average Indianapolis Colts team, so nothing should be off the table.