Dolphins rookie WR Jaylen Waddle lands on COVID list as cases skyrocket across NFL
Rookie wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, becoming the latest Dolphin to be sidelined amid a leaguewide surge in cases.
The development places Waddle’s availability for Sunday’s home game against the New York Jets in doubt and could leave quarterback Tua Tagovailoa without his most trusted pass-catcher in a must-win game for the team’s playoff hopes.
Waddle, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 Draft, leads the team in catches (86), receiving yards (849) and is second in total touchdowns (5). He recently set the franchise rookie record for receptions and is on pace to break Anquan Boldin’s rookie reception record of 101 catches.
Rookie running back Gerrid Doaks, who is on the practice squad and was a candidate to be elevated for Sunday’s game, later became the sixth player to be placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, further stifling the team’s depth in the backfield.
Fellow backs Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed and Phillip Lindsay, and rookie safety Jevon Holland also remain on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Gaskin, Waddle and Ahmed rank first, second and third, respectively, in touches this season.
The Dolphins on Thursday signed running back Jordan Scarlett, who spent time with the team in training camp, to the practice squad. Scarlett joins running backs Duke Johnson, Dexter Williams and Malcolm Brown, who on Wednesday was designated to return to practice from injured reserve, as options for Sunday.
In a turbulent season for the Dolphins offense that has included Tagovailoa missing extended time with injuries, a non-existent running game, seven starting offensive line combinations and many of the team’s top pass-catchers sidelined by injury, Waddle has been a model of consistency. He’s played 81.9 percent of the offensive snaps, most of any skill-position player, and has handled kickoff and punt return duties since the team traded Jakeem Grant to the Chicago Bears earlier this season.
Waddle’s potential absence could leave the Dolphins with a wide receiver room of DeVante Parker, Albert Wilson, Preston Williams, Mack Hollins and Isaiah Ford for Sunday’s game. Parker leads the group with 30 receptions for 389 yards and one touchdown but he’s been limited to just six games because of injuries.
The Dolphins could also elevate a player such as Kirk Merritt, Cody Core or Tommylee Lewis from the practice squad as a COVID-19 replacement. The offense uses 12 personnel [one running back, two tight ends, two wide receivers] on 59 percent of its snaps, the highest rate in the NFL, so Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe figure to have an even bigger role if Waddle cannot play.
“It’s a really big opportunity for a lot of the other guys,” said Ford, who has two touchdown catches this season. “We pride ourselves on having that next man up approach and it’s going to take all of us to cover Jaylen’s role, as well as the running backs in there. So, it’s going to take a full team approach.”
Waddle landing on the reserve/COVID-19 list comes as around 100 players have tested positive since Monday. Normally, players who test positive and are vaccinated must return two negative tests at least 24 hours apart to return to team activities. However, the NFL on Thursday announced new coronavirus protocols which, among many changes, could allow a fully vaccinated, asymptomatic individual to return to the field sooner.
The NFL also instituted the return of virtual team meetings, indoor masking regardless of vaccination status and other limitations on gatherings in and outside practice facilities. These changes are effective immediately and remain in effect through the conclusion of the Week 15 games.
This story was originally published December 16, 2021 at 11:44 AM.
