The story of the Miami Dolphins is now focused on their rebuilding process for the future in the NFL: a new head coach, a new quarterback, and players who are no longer with the team. Malik Willis will be the QB1, but unfortunately for him, he will not be able to throw passes to what was until recently the team’s top receiver, Jaylen Waddle.
“It was unfortunate, for sure, to say the least,” Willis said recently from Dolphins Organized Team Activities. “That’s a really good player and I would have loved to play with him, but that’s above my pay grade, brother. Out of my hands.”
The trade that sent Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos was a long-term bet for the Miami Dolphins, who received three draft picks in return. They held the 30th overall pick (later moved in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers, shifting up to pick 27), where they selected Chris Johnson. At pick 94 they chose wide receiver Chris Bell, and with pick 130 they added Texas edge rusher Trey Moore.
Dolphins’ 2026 aerial attack
In the midst of a full rebuild and with a clear long-term vision, Miami has decided to surround Malik Willis with young talent and recent offseason additions such as Jalen Tolbert from the Dallas Cowboys and Tutu Atwell from the Los Angeles Rams.
Jalen Tolbert #1.
| LWR | SWR | RWR |
| Jalen Tolbert | Malik Washington | Tutu Atwell |
| Chris Bell | Kevin Coleman Jr. | Caleb Douglas |
| Terrace Marshall Jr. | Tahj Washington | Theo Wease Jr. |
| Donaven McCulley | AJ Henning |
The void left by Jaylen Waddle
During his five seasons with the Miami Dolphins, Jaylen Waddle was an absolute dynamic force, racking up 373 receptions for 5,039 yards and 26 receiving touchdowns across 78 games, highlighted by a spectacular 1,356-yard campaign in 2022. Replacing that kind of elite, vertical production is going to be incredibly difficult for Miami’s offense moving forward.
The challenge becomes exponentially harder with Malik Willis taking over as the team’s new leader under center; as a quarterback with a vastly different, more run-heavy and developmental style, Willis simply doesn’t possess the seasoned passing chemistry or high-volume aerial experience needed to replicate the constant deep-threat impact that Waddle brought to South Florida every single Sunday.
Dolphins also lost Tyreek Hill
As if moving on from Jaylen Waddle wasn’t enough, the Miami Dolphins will also be without Tyreek Hill for the 2026 season. Back in February, the new front office decided to completely clear house, releasing the superstar wide receiver to save nearly $23 million against the salary cap.
Hill’s massive $51 million cap hit, combined with a severe, season-ending knee injury (torn ACL) suffered in September 2025, made him an inevitable cap casualty for a team entering a massive rebuild.
