Waddle Weighs In on His New Contract

The Miami Dolphins wide receiver signed a three-year contract extension last week

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) looks on during mandatory minicamp at Baptist Health Training Complex. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Jaylen Waddle met with the South Florida media Tuesday for the first time since signing his newly minted three-year contract extension with the Miami Dolphins.

Waddle called the extension, which will kick in after the 2025 season and is good for three years and $84.75 million, a "blessing".

"It's a blessing, always a blessing to get an extension from the organization that brought you into the league," Waddle said. "It says that they are confident in me. Like I said, they brought me into this league taking a chance — I was 22 coming off a major injury. So it's always been love since I got here, and we were just happy to get something done."

Waddle, who had two years left on his rookie contract, turned down the idea he was getting antsy when he saw his friend, former Alabama teammate and fellow 2021 first-round pick DeVonta Smith sign an extension.

Waddle said he knew that something eventually would get done.

"Not really, no," he said. "A lot of guys, y'all have seen the receiver market is going crazy right now. So, a lot of guys got paid, but no."

Several wide receivers are getting paid this offseason as the Minnesota Vikings just raised the bar by awarding Justin Jefferson an annual average value of $35 million per season when his extension kicks in. The deal was announced Monday. 

Waddle will be the fifth-highest paid receiver in the league when his extension begins, as it stands right now. 

He is right below Tyreek Hill, who averages $30 million per season. Hill is hoping to get his own contract extension from the Dolphins.

WADDLE WAS CONFIDENT DEAL WOULD GET DONE

Waddle said that he expected his deal to get done this offseason, but was unsure when it would happen.

"You never know, man, it's a business part on both sides, so you never know," Waddle said, "But it made sense for both sides and we were able to get it done."

One guy that Waddle gave a lot of credit to was quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is going through his own protracted negotiations for an extension right now. Waddle said that he would not be in the financial position that he is in now without Tagovailoa.

"Tua is my guy," Waddle said. "Without Tua, I wouldn't have been able to get the extension that I got."

WADDLE'S GREAT PRODUCTION IN THE NFL

Waddle certainly contributed to the contract himself as he did score 20 total career touchdowns and amassed 3,385 yards receiving in his first three years. 

Waddle is only the ninth player in National Football League history to start his career with three 1,000-yard seasons. He is also the fifth wide receiver in NFL history with over 250 receptions and over 3,300 receiving yards in his first three seasons. 

Mike McDaniel was a happy man seeing his playmaker happy and on the field.

"A great human being," McDaniel said. "The drive for greatness is real for him." 

Hill, incidentally, gave Waddle the new nickname of "28" which represents the $28.25 million annual average value the maximum deal will be worth when it begins in 2025.

"That's Tyreek, bro. He's going to have everybody saying that," Waddle said. "Odell (Beckham, Jr) started saying '28' and some other stuff. I don't know, those guys are clowns."