Waller addresses his future. And Dolphins/Steelers trade fallout; defensive rise
A six-pack of Dolphins notes on a Tuesday:
▪ Tight end Darren Waller has thoroughly enjoyed coming out of retirement and playing for the Dolphins, though two injuries have limited him to six appearances. Whether he chooses to extend his NFL career will be a decision that will wait until the offseason.
Waller, 33, said last week that he hasn’t decided whether to play next season.
“I will evaluate at the end of the season and see what I want to do,” he said. “I’m not leaning one way or the other right now. Just focusing on enjoying these moments we’ve got.”
Waller, who’s on a one-year contract, said he will see how he’s feeling “physically, emotionally” in “February, March. It’s a full year commitment — the offseason, team OTAs to pre-training camp to training camp to the whole season. I need to evaluate each year and know what I’m getting myself into and [if I] am able to work through everything that comes with it. I’m enjoying this season. Being around this team has been a special year, seeing how guys have responded.”
Waller caught two touchdowns in his Week 4 season debut against the Jets and caught one touchdown in each of his next two games. But defenses have worked to limit him. After missing a month with a pectoral injury, he returned Nov. 30 with two receptions for 47 yards against the Saints, then had one catch for 13 yards on Sunday against the Jets.
“His impact has been felt; his boxscore doesn’t do justice to what he’s doing to the opposing defense,” Mike McDaniel said Monday. “His numbers at any time could have an uptick based on defensive [strategy]. The defense has been threatened by his existence, and it’s opened things up for other guys.”
Waller had eight catches on nine targets in his first two games, but just five on nine targets in four games since. How much are defenses focusing on him?
“At times there has been [more attention on me], but I’m sure at the top of their defensive worries list is 28 [De’Von Achane] and 17 [Jaylen Waddle],” Waller said. “I’m sure they do some things around me. There was a play [against the Saints] where we knew they were going to jump Jaylen and I was wide open on the outside.”
Julian Hill almost assuredly will return at tight end next season, and Greg Dulcich has made a strong case to return. Regardless of whatever Waller decides, the Dolphins likely will have a choice of skilled pass catching tight ends in free agency and the draft.
A return by Jonnu Smith — who set Dolphins tight end records for receptions and receiving yards last season - cannot be ruled out if the Steelers release him instead of paying him $7 million (non-guaranteed) in 2026.
▪ How impressive has the defense been recently?
This marks only the second time in the last 15 seasons that Miami has not permitted more than 17 points in four consecutive games and the first time since a five-game streak in 2021.
The Dolphins are allowing just 13.3 points per game during this ongoing four-game winning streak, the best mark in the NFL during that stretch. They have also generated 10 takeaways, the second most in the league over those weeks. Miami’s plus-seven turnover margin is the league’s best since Week 4.
What’s more, Miami has allowed touchdowns on 48.6% of opponents’ red zone trips, the fourth-best mark in the NFL throughout the 2025 season (through Sunday’s early afternoon slate).
Miami has beaten one very good offense (Buffalo) and three subpar offenses (Washington, New Orleans and the Jets) during that stretch. But what the Dolphins defense is doing is impressive nonetheless.
▪ With the Dolphins sweeping the Jets in both 2023 and 2025, Mike McDaniel joined Don Shula as the only Dolphins coaches to sweep multiple AFC East opponents multiple times during their tenure (New England, 2023 and 2024). McDaniel is now 6-2 as Miami’s head coach against New York; he and Shula are the only coaches in franchise history to record at least six wins over the Jets.
• The June trade that sent disgruntled cornerback Jalen Ramsey and disgruntled tight end Smith (who liked playing in Miami but wanted more money) to Pittsburgh for Minkah Fitzpatrick has worked out well for the Dolphins.
Ramsey, who moved to safety before Week 9 because of Steelers’ injuries, has a 114.9 passer rating in his coverage area — fourth worst among all NFL cornerbacks, the position he played the first eight weeks. Smith has just 30 catches for 190 yards (6.3 per reception).
Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus ranks Fitzpatrick third among all safeties. He has a strong 87.9 passer rating in his coverage area.
▪ Receiver Tahj Washington still hopes for another chance after his fumble deep in Baltimore territory in the Thursday night loss. He was a healthy scratch on Sunday against the Jets.
He has played seven offensive snaps since and doesn’t have a target.
He said he watched the fumble a dozen times and Ravens defenders “did a hell of a job on me. It’s not like I didn’t have two hands on it. One guy slinging me down and one guy ripping.”
He said McDaniel assured him “jokingly” that he “has a lot of confidence in me.”
▪ Quick stuff: De’Von Achane is just the 12th player in NFL history to score at least 11 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons in the NFL, joining Marcus Allen, Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Bob Hayes, Abner Haynes, Randy Moss, Barry Sanders, Gale Sayers, Emmitt Smith and Ricky Watters….
In beating the Falcons and Jets by 24 points on the road, Miami has achieved something it has done in only two previous seasons. In 1975 (three times) and 1992 (twice), the Dolphins won road games by at least 24 points…
Tua Tagovailoa made his 75th NFL start against the Jets; he’s 44-31 as a starter.
Here’s my Monday piece with position by position nuggets.
Here’s my Monday piece with news from Mike McDaniel and an Achane update.
Here’s my Monday piece with a Dolphins schedule change.
This story was originally published December 9, 2025 at 10:29 AM.
