Who’s the Dolphins WR3 in 2024?
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By: Nick Sabatino
What direction should the Miami Dolphins pivot to fill their third receiver slot?
The Miami Dolphins offense was a track meet in 2023. They were first in yards per game, first in yards per carry, second in scoring offense, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was second in passing yards per game. It felt like a Fourth of July-esque fireworks show on Sundays.
Despite the air raid visuals, there’s a hole in the Dolphins offense, which coincides with Tua’s trusted targets. It’s the often forgotten position of WR3, or the third receiver, more often the slot receiver.
You get these receivers in a couple of different varieties but usually boils down to a trusted third-down receiver that can read the field and make tough catches, including ones over the middle that require taking a hit.
In 2022, that third option was Trent Sherfield, with some Mike Gesicki mixed in. Sherfield is as tough as they come, and Gesicki was the one tall, go-up-and-get-it pass catcher on the roster that shined on third down.
In 2023, the Dolphins had their two horses in Hill and Waddle and no other uniquely skilled receiver to balance that. Not to say guys like Braxton Berrios and Cedrick Wilson weren’t reliable, but they were just reliable. They didn’t add another dimension to the passing game.
That would be fine on most rosters, but when your two top receivers are both small and electric, you need to contrast that for when the games get gritty and cold late in the year.
The Dolphins did try to address the issue, taking out a flyer on Chase Claypool in the middle of the 2023 season. Just a few years ago, he was a rising star in the NFL who used his 6’4, 238-pound frame to make tough catches and get the ball at its highest point.
Claypool seemed to be on track to being a contributor but ran a horrible route in the biggest game of the year, resulting in a game-losing interception. From there, he rarely got another chance to see the field and is now a free agent on the CFL’s radar.
The Dolphins may have struck out on Claypool in 2023, but they aren’t done looking at that need, including the hope that Jonnu Smith can fill that void. The question is, what are their other options?
Who’s left in Free Agency
In this stage of free agency, the Dolphins sit at $3.25 million under the cap. The only real money moves to make that could push them into the double-digit millions under the cap would be a Tyreek Hill extension or restructure. Oddly, they haven’t made that move yet, but I have some thoughts on why later.
Nevertheless, the Dolphins are otherwise tapped out on the moves they can make to add to their war chest. That limits the options here, but there’s always a shot at Odell Beckham Jr, Tyler Boyd, or Michael Thomas if the Dolphins win the game of contract chicken against them. They have left feelers out for all three, whether it’s been official visits or current players recruiting them.
Outside of those three, there isn’t anyone clearly better out there than what the Dolphins already have in their receiver room.
The Draft
The Dolphins have a clear need in the trenches on both sides and look to be the primary focus in the draft. The offense lost Robert Hunt and Conor Williams, and the defense lost Christian Wilkins and Andrew Van Ginkel.
The Dolphins have addressed both sides in free agency, but neither side has had an upgrade. The Dolphins will look to fill the trenches early, but there’s a possibility they could trade down to gain a pick in the third round. The draft is loaded with offensive line prospects, so there should be plenty to choose from in the second and third rounds.
If that’s the plan on day one, the Dolphins could move down a few picks to swipe the perfect WR3 and eventual WR2-WR1, and that is Adonai Mitchell.
Let’s talk about Adonai Mitchell
6’2”, 205 pounds
Won’t be 22 yrs old until OCTOBER
4.34 40 Yard Dash
97th percentile speed score
96th percentile burst score
7th among WRs in ADOT (min 60 targets)
Primarily outside guy, but lined up in the slot about… pic.twitter.com/kSzjb8xnkI— Hutchinson Brown (@hutchinsonb_ff) April 2, 2024
Mitchell stands at 6’2, 205 lbs with 4.3 speed and a huge catch radius. This is the type of player the Dolphins have been missing the last two years, more so last year. He could be an eventual pairing with Jaylen Waddle, possibly succeeding Tyreek Hill.
I said earlier I had some thoughts on a non-Hill extension, and that’s because I’m getting the feeling that the Dolphins are not as committed as they once were.
Hill is without a doubt a top-five receiver, and most Dolphins fans would argue top three, but his continued off-field issues, coupled with his desire to be the top-paid NFL receiver, could make this a smart financial decision by the franchise.
I’m not advocating the idea of the Dolphins potentially getting rid of Hill, but not extending Hill when the Dolphins are absolutely strapped for cash, and extending everyone else says something. If I’m on the right track, Adonai Mitchell could be the perfect replacement that adds another layer to the offense now and into the future.
I’m not sure where the Dolphins pivot to fill the position, and but those are their best options for an upgrade.
Let us know in the comments who you think should be the Dolphins WR3, whether it’s in-house, free agency, or the draft.
Originally posted on The Phinsider
