Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier laughed off trade rumors surrounding star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle on Wednesday.
Waddle won’t be a free agent until 2026 but is eligible for a contract extension this offseason.
Earlier this month, ESPN analyst and former Dolphins executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum suggested the team trade the 25-year-old speedster to the Kansas City Chiefs for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie. Chiefs fans took to social media and showed their disapproval of the proposal while Miami All-Pro wideout Tyreek Hill recently called out any trade chatter regarding Waddle.
The Alabama product had only missed one game over his first two seasons in the league before sitting out three contests in 2023, first due to a concussion and later because of an ankle injury. Waddle still managed to record a third straight 1,000-yard season to start his NFL career.
Waddle was quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s second-favorite target behind Hill for the second consecutive year and no other player was particularly close. He finished the 2023 season ranked only behind the eight-time Pro Bowler in terms of Dolphins targets (104), receptions (72), receiving yards (1,014) and receiving touchdowns (four).
Waddle was particularly impactful over a seven-game stretch from Weeks 8-15, going over 100 yards in a contest three times, including a season-high 142 in Week 15 against the New York Jets.
