Breaking Down Outlook for Young Fan Favorites

The Miami Dolphins have been eliminated from playoff contention for a few weeks, which means it has been long past time to start thinking about next season. 

Part of that process is evaluating some of the team’s young players with upside. Nobody will say it, but that’s a big reason Quinn Ewers is the team’s starting quarterback. However, he’s not the only young player fans are excited about. 

Tight end Greg Dulcich, wide receiver Theo Wease, and edge rusher Derrick McLendon have gained a lot of fans through their play. McLendon was a preseason standout, but he was elevated from the practice squad to the game-day roster last week and there’s a chance he could see action in Week 18. 

In any event, the Dolphins coordinators and a few position coaches were asked about these players Thursday. 

How much of a future do these players have in Miami? 

Greg Dulcich, Tight End 

Of the players on this list, Dulcich is by far the easiest one to bet on. 

The Dolphins signed him to the practice squad in August after the New York Giants cut him, and he’s been productive in a limited but expanding role. 

He has recorded 23 catches for 304 yards and one touchdown, while averaging 13.2 yards per catch in just 12 games. Dulcich is just 25, so there’s a legitimate chance he keeps getting better, something Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith is excited about. 

“I don’t really know,” Smith said when asked about Dulcich’s ceiling. “I think you see a guy who is still early in his career. When you look at guys who are still under five years in their career, they’re really learning and trying to find how they need to play to be at their best. 

“Clearly, in his career so far, you’ve seen his pass-game acumen and his ability to play the football in the air. As far as the blocking, trying to be a complete player at the position, you’ve seen a lot of growth this year because he missed a lot of time in Denver, and now he’s maximizing his opportunities.” 

Smith is correct about Dulcich’s ceiling being tied to whatever improvements he makes as a run blocker. He’s proven to be an effective pass-catching weapon, but the game’s best tight ends can also maul defenders in the running game. 

Dulcich never projected as a good blocker coming out of UCLA, and the Dolphins don’t give him a ton of responsibility in that area. That mostly falls to Julian Hill and Alec Ingold. 

It’s a long shot, but Dulcich has a chance to develop into a long-term TE1. At worst, he’s an ideal scheme fit who pairs perfectly with Hill to create an effective and diverse room. 

Theo Wease Jr., Wide Receiver 

Wease Jr. got his first regular season action when he was promoted before the team’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. 

He had excellent chemistry with Ewers during the preseason, so it made sense that he would make his NFL debut alongside Ewers. However, it didn’t go as planned for Wease. 

He misplayed a pass that led to an interception and was called for a crucial offensive pass interference penalty, even though we’d tell you that the call was pretty bad. 

Wease bounced back in his next game, though, hauling in a 63-yard touchdown from Ewers against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Missouri product is a different type of receiver than what Miami has targeted under Mike McDaniel. 

Listed at 6-2, 210 pounds, Wease is a physical ball-winner, not a speed threat. However, according to receivers coach Robert Prince, Wease was always a target. 

“He was one of the guys that were really targeted, looking to draft them, fell through the cracks, and we were able to get them, Prince said. “So we're extremely happy with that, and with this development, I'm going to give a shoutout to (assistant receivers coach) Jonathan Krause.” 

As for Wease’s ceiling, developing into a WR3 feels like a nice win for the former UDFA. He can be a nice complement to the team’s smaller receivers and fill some of Cedrick Wilson’s role as a blocker in the running game. 

Derrick McLendon, Edge Rusher 

As mentioned above, McLendon hasn’t played this season and was elevated from the practice squad for the first time against the Buccaneers. He was, surprisingly, inactive for the game, though. 

Still, he became a fan favorite for his preseason play, which showed immense speed and effort that could easily translate to some regular-season success. 

"From the skill set, he's athletic, he's got twitch, he's got speed,” Dolphins outside linebackers coach Sean Ryan said. “Those are the tangible things. The things that stand out to me are his work ethic and his motor. His motor is tremendous, and it's in the meeting room, and it's in the field, it's everywhere. It's in the building, and it really stands out to me. 

“Man, like he is such a positive, positive influence on his teammates, on his coaches. He's fun. So when you get past the physical trades, man, that guy's got a lot of things that really, really make him just a really intriguing, quality prospect.” 

It’s hard to project a player’s ceiling who hasn’t played regular season football yet, but McLendon projects like a potential designated pass rusher. 

His speed and effort can win him reps on third and long, while a more complete player anchors the end of the defensive line the rest of the time. 

Given Miami’s tough situation at edge rusher heading into next season, that could be a valuable role. 

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