The Miami Dolphins’ latest free agent signing might remind some fans of the old regime, but there’s a lot more to it than that.
The Dolphins have reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with former Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tutu Atwell, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Thursday. The dollar amount of the deal is unknown as of writing, but it’s likely close to the veteran minimum based on Miami’s cap situation.
Atwell, who grew up in Miami, joins a robust class of outside free agents that includes a [bunch of secondary players and QB Malik Willis](https://www.si.com/nfl/dolphins/onsi/news/what-the-tape-says-about-new-dolphins-qb-malik-willis-01kkac1mnnzf). Atwell is the receiver the team has signed in this window, and TE Ben Sims is the only other skill position player.
There are a few layers to this signing because it somewhat goes against what new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan told South Florida media members at the NFL Combine.
How Atwell Fits With the Dolphins
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At the NFL Combine, Sullivan told reporters he didn’t want the Dolphins to have a wide receiver filled with smaller players. It’s good team building, but it’s also a reaction to the last regime, which banked too much on speed instead of physicality.
With that in mind, it’s hard not to question the addition of Atwell at face value. He’s listed at 5-9, 165 pounds, and frankly, both those numbers are generous based on his combine weight in.
Atwell has made a living in the NFL because of his long speed. He ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine and averages 14.6 yards per reception for his career.
That sounds like the opposite of what Sullivan has described, and more like a player Mike McDaniel would pound the table to add. All of that is true, but it goes a little deeper than that.
Miami actually needed more true speed in its receiver room. Fans assume Tahj Washington and Malik Washington are fast because they're small, but that’s not really true.
Tahj was credited with a 4.52 40-yard dash at his pro day, and Malik came in at 4.47. Neither player is slow, but they’re closer to average than anything else. With Jaylen Waddle at WR1, the Dolphins can’t just ask him to run defenses off their coverages with his speed.
Instead, Atwell can be the deep threat and create space for Waddle to work a more well-rounded game and route tree. Just because the Dolphins overindulged on speed in the McDaniel-Grier era doesn’t mean it’s not a good thing to have in a receiver room.
Speed can do a lot for you, especially when you have two players capable of scaring defenses with their vertical ability.
Atwell’s Background
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Atwell’s role is pretty set at this point in his career, but he’s actually had some nice moments in the past. He didn’t record a stat as a rookie, but became a part of the Rams’ rotation for the next three seasons.
His best year was 2024, when he recorded 42 catches for 562 yards. He also had 39 catches for 483 yards and three touchdowns in 2023. The Rams probably wanted more from a former second-round pick, but he wasn’t a bust by any means.
However, Atwell’s role essentially vanished in 2025. He caught just six passes for 192 yards last season and missed six weeks with a hamstring injury. When he returned, the team had replaced him in the receiving pecking order.
Ultimately, Atwell was a healthy scratch for the Rams’ two playoff games this year.
The Dolphins have a much less crowded receiver room, and they do genuinely need someone with his field-stretching ability.
We’d like to see [Miami add a bigger-body outside receiver](https://www.si.com/nfl/dolphins/onsi/news/examining-the-big-bodied-receivers-who-could-fit-dolphins-gm-criteria-01kjawsghh1h) with a little more upside than someone like Terrace Marshall Jr., who the team signed on a futures contract, but Atwell doesn’t stand in the way of that at all.