Kelly: Dolphins need ‘other receivers’ to step up | Opinion
The Miami Dolphins have an assortment of tall receivers, athletic receivers, speedy receivers, and shifty receivers.
But does the team have more than one good healthy receiver that Tua Tagovailoa trusts?
That’s the question we’re left wondering in life after Tyreek.
The Dolphins haven’t won a game since the team lost Tyreek Hill, the five-time All-Pro receiver, to a season-ending, and career-threatening left knee injury he suffered in Miami’s 27-21 win against the New York Jets.
The offense has adapted by throwing more passes to tailback De’Von Achane. But the Dolphins can’t line Achane up out wide for more than 10 snaps a game. And even that’s telegraphing the offense to some degree.
Someone else has to carry more than their usual share of the load, especially with tight end Darren Waller, who has scored four touchdowns in the past four games, expected to miss at least the next four games because of a pectoral strain he suffered last week.
“It’s just opportunities galore for a lot of guys that get a chance,” Tagovailoa said, referring to his weaponry arsenal.
Malik Washington, a tough slot receiver, is in his second season working with Tagovailoa, so he’s got a leg up on the rest.
Washington has been targeted 12 times, bringing down six receptions for 34 yards in the three games since Hill’s injury. He’s averaging 4.7 yards per reception this season.
Nik Westbrook-Ikhine, a tall receiver who scored nine touchdowns with the Tennessee Titans last season, before joining Miami as a free agent, has inherited most of the snaps that became available when Hill got injured.
Westbrook-Ikhine has been targeted five times, bringing in three receptions for 25 yards.
Dee Eskridge, a former second-round pick who caught a 40-yard reception last week, has speed. But he barely gets offensive snaps. And Tahj Washington, who has been active for one game this season, can make defenders miss. But he’s played three naps on offense.
“I think they’ve earned more opportunities to have targets, and involvement based on how they’ve executed their off-ball stuff, whether that’s running routes or blocking,” McDaniel said when asked about the “other receivers.”
“What I’ve learned is [that] they can handle a lot of varied [concepts],” McDaniel said. “I’ve changed their positions in game from F to Z. Can [they] mentally handle that.
Jaylen Waddle, Tagovailoa’s teammate at the University of Alabama, which the Dolphins selected in the first round of the 2021 draft, has become the primary focus of opposing defenses because there seemingly is no other threat in the unit.
Waddle’s had a solid NFL career so far, setting a rookie receiving record that has since been surpassed, and producing three straight seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards.
But the fifth year receiver has yet to proven he can carry an NFL passing attack that’s respectable.
Waddle contributed 6 receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers. He had six catches for 95 yards against the Chargers, which hints his productivity without Hill wasn’t a fluke.
But last week the Browns silenced the receiver, limiting him to one catch for 15 yards. Waddle only got four targets, one of which didn’t even come from Tagovailoa, who threw three interceptions in that game.
“It wasn’t what they were doing. It was what we weren’t doing. We weren’t communicating. We weren’t on the same page, and had some miscommunications. Some of that was on me,” said Waddle, whose present pace puts him on track to produce 983 yards if he plays in every game this season.
That’s not nearly enough, so Waddle and the Dolphins can’t afford many more one reception games.
“Against a good defense like [Atlanta] you can’t have those types of series, and plays,” Waddle said. “We have to execute, stay consistent, and know our game plan in and out. We have to play through the storm.”
Everyone associated with the Dolphins offense admits there have been some chemistry issues with Tagovailoa and Miami’s other receivers.
“Get your bank reps in to go play fast on Sunday,” Waddle said, sharing the advice he’s given his unit, encouraging them to run routes with Tagovailoa after practice, and on off days. “We have a lot of guys that can step up, and this is their opportunity. They are in the NFL for a reason.”
The problem is, Tagovailoa has trust issues with targets being where they are supposed to be, and gaining a comfort level with how each receiver runs his routes.
“Some of it has to do with being able to see guys,” said the 6-foot-1 quarterback, who has consistently pointed out he throws to areas, spots, not targets. “I’m not the tallest guy in the back there either, so being able to see [is key].....You don’t want to throw it blindly, and you’ve got to progress [on the route].
“If I can’t see you, you can’t see me. Just find a space to maneuver through that, things like that,” Tagovailoa added. “We’re working through all of that and hoping that that’s going to be something come Sunday that will get fixed.”
