Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle is coy on adding muscle to ‘run somebody over'
MIAMI GARDENS — If you think Jaylen Waddle is elusive on a football field, try him behind a microphone.
While meeting with reporters this week during a break in OTAs, Waddle was asked if he added a couple of pounds.
This pleased him. A lot.
“You see that?” he said. “You see that.”
Since it wasn’t totally clear what there was to see, a natural follow-up was how much weight/muscle he put on.
“I can’t tell you that,” he said. “You see me run somebody over, then you’ll know.”
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Hit with that verbal stiff-arm, reporters tried another approach. How much stronger does he feel?
“You trying to arm wrestle?” Waddle said. “I feel bigger, stronger, faster.”
For what it’s worth, the Dolphins continue to list Waddle at 5-feet-10 and 182, but at this time of year, that might not mean much. If, come September, Waddle not only is able to blow past defenses but also run over safeties, that could spell even more trouble.
Jaylen Waddle has a chance at a piece of history in 2023
As it is, Waddle’s first two NFL seasons produced 1,015 and 1,356 yards. In 2023, he can become the first Dolphins receiver with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Most recently, Jarvis Landry came close before finishing with 987 yards in 2017.
If Waddle has targeted that as a personal goal, he’s keeping it to himself. What he will say is that the team’s tendency to be both hot and cold in 2022 can’t be repeated. That’s a goal he wants to share.
“I felt like we had gotten into a groove midseason and then fell off from it later on,” he said. “So really, just finding that groove again, staying consistent throughout the whole year each and every week.”
Individually, Waddle’s mindset is what you might expect of a third-year pro.
“I get to see how the league works ever more,” he said. “I think preparation, seeing defenses and knowing what a defense is going to do, how they plan on playing us and adjusting the game. I feel like it’s a lot I can grow from in the first two seasons.”
In Year 2 under Mike McDaniel, Waddle is confident he knows the Dolphins’ system that much better, too.
“Last year I feel like we were learning,” he said. “Now we kind of know the details and what he’s looking for, what Tua’s looking for.”
Waddle is a big fan of rookie RB De'Von Achane
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s job may have gotten easier with the arrival of third-round draft pick De’Von Achane, a running back from Texas A&M. Achane and Waddle both have Texas roots.
“Oh man, I’ve been knowing him since he was in high school,” Waddle said. “So I’ve known he has speed from when he was younger. So just having him on our team, it’s great.
“Stay tuned, man. He’s going to be one to watch.”
Achane attended Thurgood Marshall High in Missouri City, Texas. Waddle is from Episcopal High in Bellaire, 9 1/2 miles away. Even though Waddle, 24, is three years older, their bond dates back to their days in AAU basketball “when we were little,” Achane said.
That connection appears to be helping the rookie adjust now.
“Me and Jaylen Waddle, we’re really good friends,” Achane said. “We communicate, so I feel like me being there and the visit that I took and the interactions with the coaches were great as well. So I just feel like I was able to be myself and I was very, very comfortable.”
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com and followed on Twitter @gunnerhal.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dolphins' Jaylen Waddle coy on adding muscle to ‘run somebody over'
