Waddle nears rookie record; Brown’s season over
MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is on the verge of the NFL rookie receptions record.
With one game remaining, he has 99 receptions. He’s two away from tying and three away from breaking the mark of 101 established by Anquan Boldin, a Pahokee High and Florida State alum, in 2003 with the Arizona Cardinals.
The record, though, is not at the forefront of Waddle’s mind heading into Sunday’s season finale and 4:25 p.m. kickoff against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium.
“I’m not really that focused on the record or anything,” Waddle said. “I’m just focused on doing my job and trying to help win.”
Miami (8-8) enters Week 18 eliminated from playoff contention after last Sunday’s 34-3 loss at the Tennessee Titans. Regardless, Dolphins coach Brian Flores said he will not try to get Waddle the record early in Sunday’s game but, rather, let the game flow dictate that.
“The focus will be trying to move the ball against a good defense,” Flores said. “Whoever that is. If it’s Jaylen, it’s Jaylen. If it’s [tight end] Mike Gesicki, it’s Mike Gesicki. If we’re running it, we’re running it. Run, play-action, screen. It’s really to move it effectively and efficiently against a really good defense.”
Along with a rookie record and 100-catch first NFL season, Waddle can also surpass 1,000 receiving yards with 12 more. He has 988. Waddle already holds Miami’s rookie receptions record, and only Jarvis Landry has had more in a season in franchise history, doing it twice in 2017 (112) and 2015 (110).
“Jaylen’s done a good job,” Flores said. “He’s gotten better every day. He works hard. It’s important to him. He’s tried to just learn more about the position, learn more about defenses, learn more about matchups and just, really, gotten better every week.”
Waddle takes the pursuit of the record into the final week in the
first season of the NFL’s 17-game regular-season schedule, but he also missed a game due to COVID-19 protocols, so Sunday will be his 16th game played. Boldin played in 16 games when he set the record in 2003, but he also had far more yards (1,377).
Brown staying on IR
Dolphins running back Malcolm Brown will stay on injured reserve through the finale against the Patriots (10-6), ending his season, Flores said Wednesday.
Brown finishes the year with 33 carries for 125 yards and a touchdown in seven games, three of them starts. He added three receptions for 10 yards.
Brown started off the season as one of three backs splitting reps with Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed. Veteran backs Duke Johnson and Phillip Lindsay were then inserted into the mix after Brown went down with a quadriceps injury in the Oct. 24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, and Brown was never activated off IR after he became eligible to return. He had been practicing the previous three weeks.
Johnson, the Miami Hurricanes’ all-time leading rusher, joined the Dolphins’ practice squad in October, and since his December signing to the active roster has been Miami’s top rusher. Lindsay has also been in the mix with Gaskin after he was claimed off waivers in November.
Brown was on a one-year, $1.75 million contract and will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Hunt’s home
While Robert Hunt has been a plus for the Dolphins’ offensive line at right guard and Jesse Davis has struggled at right tackle, Flores said he never considered moving Hunt back to right tackle, where he played as a rookie in 2020.
“I think he’s found a home there at right guard,” Flores said. “He played well, so didn’t want to change that or move him. I think he’s done some good things. I think he’s still a young player who’s getting better every time he goes out there. I think he’s making improvements on a weekly basis, getting more comfortable with his communication and just understanding how tough, physical it is in there at that position.”
Other notes
The Dolphins’ two remaining active-roster players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, cornerback Noah Igbinoghene and safety Sheldrick Redwine, were not back for Wednesday’s practice.
Running back Patrick Laird, on injured reserve (knee), was back at practice for the first time since being placed on IR on Dec. 8.
On the team’s Wednesday injury report, Miami had defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah (quadriceps), defensive tackle John Jenkins (illness), wide receiver Preston Williams (illness) and wide receiver DeVante Parker (veteran rest) limited.