The Miami Dolphins have extended WR Jaylen Waddle. A key part in their offence, Waddle is deserving of his $84.75-million 3-year extension. But the timing, is odd.
With the extension for QB Tua Tagovailoa pressing, and growing by the signing, the Dolphins chose to pay his weapon over the slinger. Tua has suffered a lot of disrespect in his time in South Florida, and this seems like another slight on him.
Dolphins need to get this done
Head coach Mike McDaniel has talked the talk, as he does, about paying Tua, keeping Tua, wanting Tua. But still no deal. Making Waddle the fourth highest paid receiver, no problem. We’ll do that a year earlier. No fuss.
That’s not to say signing players earlier than you have to isn’t smart. It is. Wages only go up in the NFL. And if you leave Waddle until next year then you risk that payday being even larger.
But it’s not what Dolphin GM Chris Grier does. He either doesn’t pay until he has to, and generally not at all if Miami picked them.
And Tua is still waiting.
Jared Goff goff got paid. Trevor Lawrence likely gets paid this off-season. Any number of QB’s from Dak Prescott, to Josh Allen could bump up the salaries of the top QB’s. But here we sit holding out on paying the 2023 passing leader?
As we stand here now after the Waddle deal, the Dolphins are nearly $9-million over the 2025 cap. Lots to happen before then, but you also need a QB on that roster. And the longer the Dolphins wait, the more Tua will get paid.
And the more, potentially, it could hurt this seasons preparation if there’s a hold-in, hold-out, or just general acrimony.
Of course that won’t happy, everyone loves Tua. They just don’t want to pay him.
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