Dolphins’ Former National Champion Speaks Out On Bad Season, ‘Year That I Didn’t Want As An Individual’

Last year was a season to forget for much of this Miami Dolphins roster. Aside from budding running back star, De’Von Achane, very few Phins put their best stuff on tape. As is the case for young receiver Jaylen Waddle.

The 26-year-old receiver posted the least receiving yards in his career, and it wasn’t particularly close. Waddle posted three consecutive one thousand yard receiving seasons since entering the NFL. However, in 15 games last season the former National Champion was only able to muster 744 yards on a career low 58 receptions.

Now he tells ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques that he is seeking redemption.

“After watching the film, definitely a lot of hand eye (coordination) — I feel like I’m trying to move without the ball too much,” Waddle said. “And just the simple things, just timing, getting smoother in and out of my routes. Pretty much that.”

After admitting that last season was “definitely the year that I didn’t want as an individual,” Waddle told Louis-Jacques that the team’s new wide receivers coach, Robert Prince, was making a huge difference in his development.

“‘RP,’ he’s just bringing a different dynamic to the room. He’s making us work on and off the field,” he said. “The meeting room, you’ve got to be on your P’s and Q’s because he’ll ask you something from two weeks ago. So RP has been great for us, we love him a lot. We love all the challenges that he gives us daily and weekly. RP is doing a great job.”

Jaylen Waddle Hasn’t Lost The Trust Of His Teammates

Despite the uncharacteristic season, Waddle’s coaching staff and teammates believe the best is still ahead of the young wideout.

“I think he’s shown his teammates who he really is,” coach Mike McDaniel said. “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.”

The quarterback in question is, of course, Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa’s injury history has created a ripple felt from the bottom down. Waddle certainly was hurt by his spinner missing a large chunk of last season. Still, Tagovailoa himself is making it a priority to continue to establish chemistry with Waddle.

“We’re continuing to grow our chemistry with one another,” Tagovailoa said last month. “For the past year, for the past two years, it’s really been me and ‘Reek kind of getting on that same page. But if me and Waddle can get together and continue to make strides throughout these last few days of minicamp, I think it’s going to lead into some pretty good things preparing us for training camp.”

Phins Picked To Finish In Bottom Third Once Again

Was last year’s skid an uncharacteristic miss step or a sign of things to come? Well, if Bleacher Report’s preseason power rankings are any indication, it would be the latter.

The Phins were placed at 23rd in BR’s rankings and received a pretty harsh synopsis from writer Gary Davenport.

“You name them, they are on the hot seat for the Miami Dolphins,” Davenport writes. “Tyreek Hill has gone from arguably the NFL’s best receiver to potentially washed up. Tua Tagovailoa is the $53 million quarterback who can’t stay on the field. Head coach Mike McDaniel went from an offensive mastermind to a guy the league has figured out.”

On the bright side, this ranking did fall above AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots and the New York Jets.