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Tua Tagovailoa Tua Tagovailoa Multi-year extension gets done Fri, Jul 26, 2024, 2:20 PM Tagovailoa and the Dolphins agreed to terms Friday on a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. Analysis: Tagovailoa and Miami spent much of the offseason wrapped up in negotiations for a long-term extension, and the 2020 first-round pick now gets a multi-year commitment and large payday from the franchise that once selected him fifth overall. While awaiting a new deal, Tagovailoa only practiced partially at training camp, but Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports that he returned as a full participant Friday. Since pairing with head coach Mike McDaniel, Tagovailoa has transformed into one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the NFL and taken full advantage of having stars Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle headlining his wide receiver corps. The 26-year-old is coming off the first full season of his four-year career, a 2023 campaign in which he led the league with 4,624 passing yards while throwing 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, with his 8.3 YPA ranking second in the NFL. The additions of No. 3 receiver Odell Beckham (undisclosed) and TE Jonnu Smith, plus another year of growth in McDaniel's offensive scheme, could provide enough fuel for Tagovailoa to take yet another step forward during the 2024 campaign.
Tua Tagovailoa Tua Tagovailoa Practice workload limited Wed, Jul 24, 2024, 3:17 PM Tagovailoa's practice participation at training camp will be limited amidst ongoing contract negotiations with the Dolphins, Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com reports. Analysis: Tagovailoa's current activity level at training camp is reminiscent of his participation during spring practices, when attended all of June minicamp but missed some time at OTAs. In Wednesday's practice, he participated fully in individual and 7-on-7 drills but only took two snaps in 11-on-11s. Head coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa's situation is "very fluid," noting that the team is "taking it day by day." This offseason, quarterbacks Jared Goff and Trevor Lawrence both signed massive extensions with their respective franchises. Elsewhere around the NFL, Jordan Love and Dak Prescott are notable quarterbacks also negotiating for new deals. The Dolphins thus have plenty of incentive to get an extension locked in for Tagovailoa quickly, both to get the quarterback back on the field and taking reps as soon as possible, and to avoid having to pay a higher price in an ever-increasing market for signal-callers.
Salvon Ahmed Salvon Ahmed Activated off NFI list Tue, Jul 23, 2024, 6:45 PM The Dolphins activated Ahmed (foot) off the active/non-football injury list Tuesday. Analysis: Ahmed is seemingly healthy once again after spending less than a week on the NFI list. The 25-year-old will now spend the summer competing with Jeff Wilson and Chris Brooks for a roster spot.
Odell Beckham Odell Beckham To start camp on PUP list Tue, Jul 23, 2024, 2:43 PM Beckham (undisclosed) is set to be placed on the Dolphins' active/PUP list, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Analysis: Per Pelissero, Beckham is reportedly "working through minor things and this is part of the plan for easing (the wideout) back into football." Once Beckham is able to return to practice, he'll look to solidify his standing as the Dolphins' No. 3 WR behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. In that role, Beckham may not have a path to steady volume, but if either Hill or Waddle are forced to miss time down the road, the 31-year-old's profile in Miami's passing attack could expand.
Salvon Ahmed Salvon Ahmed Moves to NFI list Thu, Jul 18, 2024, 3:51 PM The Dolphins placed Ahmed (foot) on the active/non-football injury list Thursday. Analysis: Ahmed, who re-signed with Miami on a one-year contract early this offseason, will begin training camp on the NFI list. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that Ahmed's placement on the NFI list is due to a minor medical issue, one unrelated to the season-ending foot injury he sustained last November. He can be activated at any time during training camp or the preseason, once cleared to practice.
De'Von Achane De'Von Achane Wants more looks in passing game Mon, Jun 17, 2024, 5:07 PM Achane has prioritized improving his route running this offseason and could earn more opportunities to line up out wide in Year 2, David Furones of the Sun Sentinel reports. Analysis: Achane said during June mandatory minicamp he's been "lining up at different positions, as far as like receiver, running routes and stuff," calling those drills "something that we're doing different this year." The second-year pro, who logged record-breaking efficiency during his rookie season, said that in addition to becoming a more versatile pass catcher, his priority this offseason has been adding muscle in order to better avoid injury. Achane will have to compete with position mates Raheem Mostert and rookie Jaylen Wright for touches during the 2024 campaign, so it would be encouraging to see him develop into a capable enough receiver to catch passes out wide, rather than only out of the backfield. Despite the Dolphins looking primed to deploy a backfield committee, Achane's explosiveness and big-play ability make it easy to project a high fantasy ceiling in 2024. If he's indeed able to improve his versatility and durability this offseason, that could also give him a more consistent floor.
Jaylen Waddle Jaylen Waddle Signs lucrative extension Thu, May 30, 2024, 9:17 AM Waddle signed a three-year, $84.75 million contract extension with the Dolphins on Thursday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. The deal includes $76 million guaranteed. Analysis: Waddle is now one of the top five highest-paid receivers in the NFL with an annual salary of $28.25 million. The 2021 first-round pick has been dominant since entering the league, ripping off three straight seasons with 1,000-plus yards, including a 2022 campaign where he produced 1,356 yards and eight touchdowns across 17 regular-season games. The 25-year-old battled injuries last season but is fully healthy ahead of the 2024 campaign. Waddle is still the clear No. 2 receiver behind Tyreek Hill, but there's clearly room for both players to produce as the fastest receiving duo in the league.
De'Von Achane De'Von Achane Adds muscle in offseason Wed, May 29, 2024, 10:00 AM Head coach Mike McDaniel said Tuesday that Achane has made "some strength gains" and improved his understanding of Miami's offense, Andre Fernandez of The Miami Herald reports. Analysis: Achane seems to be off to a good start to the offseason program, potentially allowing him to earn a larger share of the snaps in the backfield in 2024 behind returning starter Raheem Mostert. Both backs should have significant roles after the impressive work they did in 2023, while fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright is a wild card to earn occasional carries. Adding some weight might lower Achane's injury risk a bit and/or allow him to take on more touches, though he'll still be one of the smallest and fastest running backs in the league, at least among players competing for a significant number of carries and early down snaps. He ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at 188 pounds at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, then took 103 carries for 800 yards (7.8 YPC) and three touchdowns in 11 regular-season games as a rookie. Achane also drew 37 targets and recorded three receiving touchdowns, with the pass-catching work allowing him to stay involved even when Mostert was healthy and gobbling up carries.
Tua Tagovailoa Tua Tagovailoa Drops weight, awaits extension Fri, May 24, 2024, 5:21 PM Coach Mike McDaniel said at OTAs that Tagovailoa, who continues to vie for a contract extension beyond his fifth-year option, has dropped between 10 and 15 pounds this offseason, Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post reports. Analysis: Tagovailoa has been an on-and-off participant at OTAs for Miami, but McDaniel made clear that his attendance schedule has been a non-issue. The quarterback added weight last offseason in order to protect himself, and coupled with training to reduce impact taken when falling to the ground, that allowed Tagovailoa to play a full 17-game slate for the first time in his NFL career. It appears that the signal-caller is now putting in the work to get more mobile while keeping the traits that have added to his durability, with McDaniel noting that Tagovailoa is looking "svelte." Both sides will continue negotiations on a multi-year extension, though Alain Poupart of SI.com notes the possibility of Tagovailoa playing out the 2024 season on his fifth-year option can't be entirely dismissed.
Erik Ezukanma Erik Ezukanma Back on field for OTAs Tue, May 21, 2024, 8:05 PM Ezukanma (neck) participated in OTAs on Tuesday, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports. Analysis: Ezukanma played in just two games at the beginning of 2023 before being placed on the reserve/non-football injury list in September due to a neck injury. He was cleared of his injury before the end of last season, and he admitted to reporters Tuesday that he was concerned that he would not be able to play again, per Joe Schad of The Palm Beach Post. Ezukanma has appeared in three regular season games since the Dolphins drafted him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and he will battle for a spot on Miami's wide receiver corps for 2024.
Tua Tagovailoa Tua Tagovailoa Present for start of OTAs Mon, May 20, 2024, 8:18 AM Tagovailoa is present for the start of OTAs on Monday, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Analysis: Tagovailoa was recently reported to have missed a notable amount of Miami's offseason work amid ongoing talks about a contract extension, but the 26-year-old quarterback is in the building to kick off the start of OTAs. It appears that both Tagovailoa and the Dolphins' organization are confident that an extension will get done prior to the start of the regular season, so unless things stall on that front there shouldn't be too many concerns about the quarterback's offseason participation. Currently, Tagovailoa is slated to play out the 2024 campaign on his fifth-year option. He played a full 17 regular-season games last year for the first time in his career, achieving new highs with 4,624 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Tua Tagovailoa Tua Tagovailoa Has skipped some offseason work Fri, May 17, 2024, 9:01 AM Tagovailoa has reportedly missed most of Miami's team activities this offseason while negotiations on a potential contract extension continue, Alain Poupart of SI.com reports. Analysis: Coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier have both vocally supported the idea of Tagovailoa remaining with the Dolphins on a long-term basis and an extension being penned this offseason; however, it sounds like until that's official, the team may not have the quarterback's full participation. That said, Tagovailoa was confirmedly a participant in part of Miami's offseason workouts back in April, with Poupart noting the team released videos of him throwing on multiple different days. There are no signs Tagovailoa would consider skipping June's mandatory minicamp, and the quarterback has downplayed concerns about contract negotiations. As things currently stand, Tagovailoa is set to play out the 2024 season under the fifth-year option on his rookie contract.
De'Von Achane De'Von Achane Joined by rookie in RB room Wed, May 8, 2024, 11:16 AM Achane and Raheem Mostert gained some competition for snaps via the additon of rookie Jaylen Wright in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports. Analysis: Achane is coming off a rookie campaign in which he rushed for 800 yards and eight scores in just 11 games, while Mostert racked up 1,012 yards and an outstanding 18 touchdowns. Both should still enter the 2024 season as Miami's clear top backfield options, but Wright brings blazing speed (4.38-second 40-yard dash time) to the table, and neither Achane or Mostert boast the size to hold up to extreme workloads. While both Achane and Mostert demand double-digit touches, it's possible that the addition of Wright could represent a cap to their respective fantasy ceilings, especially if the rookie impresses enough to eventually force his way into a three-headed backfield split.
Raheem Mostert Raheem Mostert Happy with added backfield depth Wed, May 8, 2024, 11:00 AM Mostert said Tuesday he's "excited" to have rookie fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright join himself and De'Von Achane in Miami's backfield in 2024, Nick Shook of NFL.com reports. Analysis: Mostert said he's "excited to have [Wright] here and try to coach him up, try to help him out within this offense." The 32-year-old Mostert and the 22-year-old Achane are clearly the top dogs of the Dolphins' rushing attack after both had extremely efficient seasons in 2023, likely leaving Wright to begin his career as a third-string option, with veteranJeff Wilson potentially on the outside looking in. Of course, neither Mostert or Achane boast ideal profiles for a heavy workload, so Wright could find himself earning opportunities earlier than usual for a No. 3 option. All three of Mostert, Achane and Wright boast atypical explosiveness, so it's possible that head coach Mike McDaniel's scheme could manage to deploy each back relatively interchangeably.
Tua Tagovailoa Tua Tagovailoa Finally gets No. 3 receiver Wed, May 8, 2024, 9:14 AM Tagovailoa's top wide receivers, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, will be joined in 2024 by Odell Beckham, who signed a one-year contract with the Dolphins on Wednesday. Analysis: Miami added offensive tackle Patrick Paul in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft to help Tagovailoa stay upright, a key move following the departure of Robert Hunt to Carolina, but the team's only notable skill-position pickups this offseason were sixth-round wideout Malik Washington and fourth-round running back Jaylen Wright. Adding an experienced veteran in Beckham should finally provide Miami's offense with a reliable third starting wideout, something the team has lacked since head coach Mike McDaniel's arrival in 2022. As Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com notes, beyond the top tandem of Hill and Waddle, no receiver has logged more than 32 catches or 417 yards in the McDaniel era. The arrival of Beckham, and to a lesser degree, tight end Jonnu Smith, promises to finally provide Tagovailoa with more reliable playmakers beyond his top two options.
Jeff Wilson Jeff Wilson Not assured of roster spot? Mon, May 6, 2024, 11:59 AM Wilson is part of a crowded backfield alongside Raheem Mostert, De'Von Achane and rookie fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright, Omar Kelly of The Miami Herald reports. Analysis: Wilson may be a favorite of coach Mike McDaniel, but the 28-year-old nonetheless faces a difficult path to earning a roster spot if the three aforementioned RBs stay healthy this summer. With those three being roster locks, the Dolphins may end up having Wilson, Salvon Ahmed and Chris Brooks competing for one or two spots on the practice squad. Wilson agreed to a contract restructure in March, dropping his base salary to $1.12 million while guaranteeing him $400,000, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Odell Beckham Odell Beckham Signing one-year deal in Miami Fri, May 3, 2024, 10:33 AM Beckham is signing a one-year contract with the Dolphins, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Analysis: It's a $3 million contract that can go up to $8.25 million with incentives, per Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com. Beckham signed a one-year, $15 million deal with Baltimore last offseason, and while his numbers were solid on a per-route and per-target basis, he never reached even 60 percent snap share after Week 1. He won't have to play too many snaps in Miami, where Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are the top WRs and head coach Mike McDaniel uses FB Alec Ingold a lot. The Dolphins had three or more WRs on the field for just 48 percent of their plays last year, the third-lowest rate in the league. On the other hand, Hill and Waddle tend to come off the field more often than other top receivers, which should give Beckham some chances to contribute in two-wide sets. Still, he's unlikely to have value in most fantasy leagues unless Hill or Waddle is unavailable (and even then it wouldn't necessarily be a sure thing).
Jaylen Waddle Jaylen Waddle Miami picks up fifth-year option Mon, Apr 29, 2024, 2:40 PM The Dolphins officially exercised Waddle's fifth-year option Monday. Analysis: Miami has made no secret of plans to pick up Waddle's fifth-year option this offseason, and the move is now official prior to Thursday's deadline. That keeps the third-year standout under contract for two more seasons and provides the Dolphins more time to negotiate a long-term deal with Waddle. The team added depth to the wideout room in the form of late-round rookies Malik Washington and Tahj Washington during the 2024 NFL Draft, but Waddle and Tyreek Hill remain the clear top targets for Tua Tagovailoa, with incumbents Braxton Berrios and River Cracraft available to split No. 3 duties.
De'Von Achane De'Von Achane Bulks up during offseason Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 10:53 AM Achane appears to have added muscle to his frame through his workouts earlier this offseason, Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post reports. Analysis: A photo of Achane showing up for OTAs went viral, with some saying he looks much larger than he did during his rookie campaign. It's his second offseason bulking up for football without also considering track and field, though at this point it's unclear how much muscle he's added relative to his weight from the 2023 NFL Combine, where he ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at 188 pounds. Achane averaged 7.8 yards per carry and scored a touchdown per game last season, albeit with injuries (six missed games) and Raheem Mostert's presence (209 carries) limiting the rookie to 103 carries and 27 catches in his 11 appearances. The Dolphins still have Mostert under contract -- along with backups Jeff Wilson, Salvon Ahmed (foot) and Chris Brooks -- but they'll presumably prepare Achane with more of the backfield work in his second NFL season.
Jaylen Waddle Jaylen Waddle Fifth-year option to be exercised Tue, Apr 16, 2024, 12:29 PM General manager Chris Grier said Tuesday that he expects the Dolphins to pick up Waddle's fifth-year option, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports. Analysis: The Dolphins have consistently stated a desire to come to terms with Waddle on a long-term contract, and Grier specifically dismissed trade rumors earlier this offseason. The third-year pro has recorded three straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin his career, becoming the first wideout to do so in franchise history, and there's little question of his value as a No. 2 read behind Tyreek Hill. Picking up Waddle's fifth-year option will keep him under contract with the Dolphins for two more seasons.