Dolphins Rebuild WR3 Role With Depth, Not Stars

Last offseason, the Miami Dolphins searched for one final piece to turn the NFL’s second-ranked passing attack into a true playoff threat.

After averaging 261 passing yards per game in 2023 with wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle as the featured targets, Miami brought in Odell Beckham Jr. to be Mike McDaniel’s ace on third down. That plan fell apart after just nine games, and now the Dolphins turn to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Malik Washington, as they look to feature a more complete receiving unit in 2025.

Beckham began his tenure in Miami on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list with a lingering knee issue and didn’t start practicing until early October. That time away from the field limited his ability to build rhythm in coach Mike McDaniel’s timing-based offense and develop chemistry with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

While Tagovailoa missed time due to a pair of injuries, he was in the lineup for seven of nine games Beckham spent with the Dolphins. After going targetless in Miami’s 28-27 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, Beckham caught five straight passes thrown his way, including a key third-down conversion on Monday Night Football in the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams. 

However, those five receptions went for only 32 yards. Opposing defenses limited Beckham to just 1.6 yards after the catch. He finished the year with nine receptions for 55 yards and one drop, moving the sticks only three times on 18 targets. 

Beckham was waived Dec. 13, and sixth-round pick Malik Washington stepped in as the next man up, catching 26 of 36 targets for 223 yards while averaging 4.7 yards after the catch. He gave the offense some juice at receiver, but his 5.4-yard average depth of target was 2.2 yards less than Beckham's. 

Washington’s role will continue evolving as he enters his second season, but his skill set isn’t necessarily what the offense needed to return to form as the unit that ranked second in yards per play in 2023. 

Washington will help move the sticks, but Westbrook-Ikhine has the potential to be a matchup nightmare for secondaries hoping to track Waddle and Hill for 30 plays per game. 

Arriving in Miami on a two-year deal following five seasons with the Tennessee Titans, Westbrook-Ikhine has averaged a depth of target of more than 10 yards in every season. He averaged 15.5 yards on 32 receptions, making the most of his limited opportunities with nine touchdowns in 2024. 

At 6-3, 211 pounds, Westbrook-Ikhine blends the physical tools of a red zone target with the ability to stretch the field. He’s a reliable, experienced option, and Washington will still have opportunities to earn snaps, especially when defenses focus on Miami’s top-end speed on third downs.

Hill and Waddle remain the engine of Miami’s passing attack, but the team’s approach to the WR3 role has shifted. After banking on Beckham last season, the Dolphins now turn to a more functional blend of traits. Westbrook-Ikhine and Washington aren’t flashy options, but might be better fits to support the stars already in place.

Removing Jonnu Smith From the Equation

Jonnu Smith’s role needs to be mentioned when discussing Miami’s passing attack, especially considering the franchise traded him to the Pittsburgh Steelers instead of negotiating a new contract.

Trading away the franchise’s lone Pro Bowl player understandably raised eyebrows, especially entering a must-win season for the front office and coaching staff. Smith had his best year as a pass catcher, setting franchise records in receptions (88), yards (884), and touchdowns (8). 

There’s no denying McDaniel’s system brought out the best in Smith, but there’s also a case to be made that he wasn’t necessarily the best fit for what the Dolphins want to accomplish. Smith led the team in receptions and touchdowns, thriving as a big-bodied safety blanket in a season defined by instability at quarterback, on the offensive line, and at wide receiver.

Despite his success, the production reflects instabilities on an offense that plummeted to 23rd in yards per play. Instead of gashing defenses with downfield strikes, Smith’s heavy usage became an attempt to keep the unit afloat amid injuries and inconsistency elsewhere.

That’s not a knock on Smith’s talent — he was efficient, dependable, and delivered in big-time spots. However, in an offense that thrives on keeping defenses guessing, his presence was also a possible tell. 

Miami passed on 79.3 percent of plays when Smith was on the field in 2024, the second-highest rate among all tight ends behind only Mike Gesicki, according to Sharp Football’s Rich Hribar. Smith’s presence offered stability throughout a rocky season, but maintaining that level of predictability could work against McDaniel’s offense.

Retaining Smith would likely have been a net positive for the Dolphins’ offense. However, his request for a new contract forced the team to evaluate his value within a system that doesn’t traditionally rely on receiving-first tight ends.

Smith ultimately signed a one-year, $12 million contract extension with Pittsburgh after finishing fourth among all tight ends in targets last season. Looking back, Miami ran one of the NFL’s most efficient offenses in 2023 despite targeting tight ends only 52 times — the fewest in the league, according to Fantasy Pros.

It’s also notable that the Dolphins have been conservative this offseason, signing only three players to multi-year deals: James Daniels, Tyrel Dodson, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Smith is a talented player who delivered in a challenging year, but investing heavily in receiving-first tight ends hasn’t proven worthwhile for Miami.

When McDaniel arrived, the team opened his tenure by tagging Gesicki for $10.9 million, but the offense still ranked 31st out of 32 in tight end targets. The Dolphins have made it work in the past with Durham Smythe, who wasn’t flashy but was a reliable, steady presence as the team’s third-most targeted receiver in 2023. 

Should Miami make a big investment at tight end again, it would likely be on a player who can deliver both in blocking and receiving to support the needs of McDaniel’s offense.

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