Does Waller Fit in Dolphins' Offense?

That burst is what allows Waller to win so many matchups in the receiving game, and the Dolphins don’t really have a player with Waller’s size and burst on the roster. This crossing route against the Commanders is another good showing of that skill set. 

Watch him explode past the linebacker and create a ton of separation moving across the field. Waller has a second gear that most “tight ends” don’t. 

While Waller can be effective on crossing routes, he’s an absolute menace for defenses to handle on vertical routes from the slot. Waller’s speed allows him to run linebackers and safeties off the line quickly, and his size makes him a big target in congested situations. 

This is one of the bigger differences between Waller and Smith. Jonnu wasn’t slow by any means, but he wasn’t a vertical receiving target in the way that Waller has been throughout his career. 

Waller’s only touchdown from 2023 came on a nice adjustment on a go route from the slot against the Commanders. 

The Dolphins struggled to stretch teams vertically in the passing game last season, relying almost exclusively on stretching defense horizontally. This is partly by design, but Miami’s predictability was a big issue down the stretch. 

Waller gives them something different in the slot, and the team signed another vertical receiving threat this offseason in Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, which could add an extra dimension to the passing game this season. 

Waller Isn’t Really a Tight End 

Waller will be labeled as a tight end on the Dolphins’ roster, but he’s not really a tight end. He offers next to nothing in the running game and runs the majority of his routes detached from the line of scrimmage anyway. 

In 2023, Waller ran 188 of his 355 routes from the slot. For his career, Waller has run just less than 30% of his routes from the slot. 

To put this in perspective for Dolphins fans, Waller’s skill set and usage are pretty close to Mike Gesicki’s. Sure, both players are labeled as tight ends, but they’re actually big slot receivers. 

Now, Waller has a lot more juice with the ball in his hands than Gesicki, but ultimately, those players fill the same role. And a big reason for that is Waller’s poor run blocking, including this rep against the Dolphins. 

Waller fails to secure a second-level block on David Long Jr., leading to a blown-up play. His 2023 tape is filled with plays where he fails to secure a second-level block or help his double-team partner near the line of scrimmage. 

Westbrook-Ikhine was mentioned earlier because he also profiles as a potential “big slot” option for the Dolphins. However, he’s a much better blocker than Waller, and given Miami’s focus on the outside zone scheme, that matters. 

What to Make of Waller’s Fit 

There are several layers to Waller’s potential fit on the offense. 

At his best, he does provide the Dolphins with a unique pass-catching skill set. And his pedigree as a player with a proven track record of producing quality numbers in his role is certainly appealing. 

However, envisioning a consistent role for him on offense is challenging. He’s a downgrade from Westbrook-Ikhine (and Jonnu Smith) in the blocking department and has a somewhat redundant receiving profile.

Although Waller's receiving profile is intriguing, he’ll likely still fall behind Jaylen Waddle, Tyreek Hill, and De’Von Achane in the target pecking order.

There will be instances, like in the red zone, where Waller’s size and catch radius will come in handy — he’s not a bad player to have available by any means. 

But looking at him like a one-to-one replacement for Smith based on what he showed when he last played isn’t fair. Smith and Waller are very different flavors of pass-catching tight ends. 

Plus, there’s the whole “what does he look like after a year off?” question. Waller retired to pursue a rap career after a slew of more minor injuries and a "very scary" hospitalization related to a medical episode in 2023. Also, he’ll be 33 years old in September. 

That’s a lot of red flags for one player. Of course, the Dolphins have the benefit of reuniting Waller with offensive coordinator Frank Smith, who was Waller’s tight ends coach with the Raiders. The two clearly have a good relationship, and it would be shocking if Smith didn’t heavily influence the Dolphins into making this move. 

So, what should you make of this? 

Waller's potential contributions to the offense aren’t vital to the Dolphins’ success. It feels like they are because he’s “replacing” Smith, who was such a big part of the offense last season, but any success Waller has feels more like a bonus than a necessity. 

The Dolphins basically got Waller for free. If he can’t stay healthy or isn’t 100% committed, they can move on from him without a second thought. 

Despite his skill set being a somewhat strange fit, there’s no downside for Miami. It’s a free look at an incredibly talented player. In a season where the Dolphins need all the help they can get, it’s hard to knock them much for taking a chance on Waller. 

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