Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
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(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
With the trade of Jaylen Waddle, the Miami Dolphins are signaling to the rest of the league that they are entering a rebuild stage. This offseason, the Dolphins cut ties with Tyreek Hill and Tua Tagovailoa, then traded Waddle to the Denver Broncos.
As part of the Waddle trade, the Broncos received the wideout and the Dolphins’ fourth-round pick (111th overall), while sending their first-round pick (30th) and third- and fourth-round picks (94th and 130th) to Miami.
Miami did sign Malik Willis as their QB going forward, but the question is whether the Dolphins are actually trying to be competitive in 2026. Whether they are trying to be a competitive team or not, FS1’s Nick Wright predicted where he sees Miami finishing next season.
“I actually support what they’re doing, and I think that just taking your medicine and saying we’re not going to do a half measure here,”Wright said during a March 18 appearance on the “Dan Patrick Show.” “We made some very, very aggressive moves thinking we were a championship contender. We weren’t, and rather than piecemealing it, we are ripping it down…
“I think what they’re doing logically — if you said, ‘Nick, you’re taking over the Miami Dolphins‘ — I would have done a lot of the same things, like let’s take our medicine right now and then try to move forward. But they are going to be the worst team in the league by a lot, by a lot, next year.”
Malik Willis Will Play Big Role in Miami Rebuild
Moreover, Wright made sense of Miami’s decision to sign Willis, as they need a signal-caller to properly evaluate not only the former Green Bay Packers QB but also the young talent they’ll draft on offense.
“In order to evaluate any young players on the roster, you need to have a level of competency at quarterback,“ Wright added. “And if they end up having the No. 1 pick but they think, despite that, Malik shows them enough, then they can really supercharge the reload by flipping that No. 1 pick.
“If he plays well enough for them not to have the No. 1 pick, then they sign the right guy. If not, it’s not like they signed him to a five-year huge guarantee. Even if they get the No. 1 pick and draft a quarterback, you still might be like, ‘Ok, Malik, you start next year,‘ and then maybe he’s a trade chip if he plays well.”
Could the Dolphins Draft a Wide Receiver in Round 1?
With two first-round picks, could Miami decide to take a wide receiver with the No. 11 pick to give Willis a target that could help him out this upcoming 2026 season? For ESPN’s Matt Miller, formerUSC Trojans star Makai Lemon makes sense.
“I’m a huge fan of Makai Lemon from USC,“Miller said during a March 17 appearance on the “Rich Eisen Show.”“I think he would be a fit at eleven if he’s still on the board. He is actually my number one receiver in this draft.
“Now, he’s a little bit smaller than Carnell Tate, but his middle-of-the-field toughness is exceptional. He’s a great route runner, a YAC player. He could play in the slot. He could play outside.”