Finding WR early in draft vital for Dolphins after Jaylen Waddle trade

The Miami Dolphins’ wide receiving corps has been shaken up this offseason, and it immediately rises to the forefront among positions that must be addressed early in next week’s NFL draft.

First, the Dolphins released Tyreek Hill and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Hill, once a perennial All-Pro, was a foregone conclusion as Miami’s roster was in transition while the team had an out with his big contract after Hill’s gruesome knee injury last season. Westbrook-Ikhine simply didn’t produce in his one season with the Dolphins.

But even after that, as Miami made its one big free-agent acquisition of quarterback Malik Willis, many figured he would have Jaylen Waddle, the No. 6 pick in the 2021 draft, to throw to.

The Denver Broncos made the Dolphins an offer they couldn’t refuse, though. Miami acquired Denver’s late first-round pick for Waddle’s services, and the overhaul at wide receiver has been just about made whole.

With all the movement, including bringing in a couple of cheap options in free agency as candidates for breakout seasons, the Dolphins will still have to replenish the pass-catching losses through the draft.

Miami has many needs, though, and it historically hasn’t been the Green Bay way — where new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan comes from — to take a wideout with a first pick in a draft. But now, the Dolphins have two in the first round, and there are several viable options to take at No. 30, acquired from the Broncos, if one of the top three wide receivers in the draft aren’t selected with Miami’s first pick, No. 11. The Dolphins also have their second-round choice and four picks in the third round.

As it stands now, free-agent pickups in Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert could have a lot of Willis’ passes come their way based on the depth chart.

Atwell makes a Miami homecoming. The Miami Northwestern High great who led the historic program to a state title as a quarterback played his college football at Louisville and spent five professional seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.

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He posted career highs of 42 receptions and 562 yards in 2024 before a hamstring injury cost him time last season and he ended up with just six catches for 192 yards — an 88-yard touchdown among those totals.

Atwell is a smaller speedster at 5 feet 9. Tolbert has more size to him at 6 feet 1 and is capable of stretching the field. He, too, is looking for a bounce-back season.

Tolbert had 49 receptions for 610 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024, but the Dallas Cowboys’ addition of George Pickens bumped him down the depth chart and he had just 18 catches for 203 yards and one score last season.

The Dolphins’ top returning wide receiver is Malik Washington. The 5-foot-8, 195-pound slot receiver had 46 receptions for 317 yards and three touchdowns in 2025 and is a formidable option in the return game.

Aside from running back De’Von Achane and tight end Greg Dulcich, Washington is the only returning player with more than six receptions in 2025.

A longer target in the 6-foot-2 Theo Wease Jr. will try to expand on the six catches, 139 yards and a touchdown late last season while getting playing time with quarterback Quinn Ewers after he took over for the benched Tua Tagovailoa.

The Dolphins will also have 2024 seventh-round pick Tahj Washington vying for a roster spot along with Terrace Marshall Jr. and AJ Henning.