Bills’ AFC East rival gives dynamic WR massive contract

Get used to seeing the “penguin dance,” Bills Mafia, because it’s here to stay for the foreseeable future.

The Miami Dolphins signed dynamic wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to a three-year extension worth $84.75 million on Thursday morning, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The contract includes $76 million in guaranteed money and makes the 25-year-old one of the highest-paid receivers in the league.

Waddle was incredibly productive during his three professional seasons, using his combination of game-breaking speed and underrated route-running ability to total 251 receptions for 3,385 yards and 18 touchdowns. He forms a dynamic duo with compatriot Tyreek Hill in Miami, with the duo widely considered one of, if not the strongest, top receiver combinations in the NFL.

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The new deal will see Waddle earn an average of $28.25 million per season. Miami now employs two of the five highest-paid players in the NFL, with Hill ranking third on the list of highest-paid receivers, at $30 million per year. Waddle’s contract includes more guaranteed money than Hill’s, as the 30-year-old’s contract (signed in 2022) includes $72.2 million in guarantees. The deal leaves the already cash-strapped Dolphins in a more precarious financial situation as they negotiate with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is entering the fifth year – and final – option of his contract. recruit.

Waddle’s extension means Buffalo will have to continue to deal with his presence over the next few seasons. The Bills largely managed to contain the pass catcher throughout their semi-annual AFC East matchups with Miami, limiting him to 21 catches for 339 yards and one touchdown in five regular-season games (he missed the Dolphins’ Week 18 with Buffalo). during the 2023 NFL season with an ankle injury). He caught three passes for 44 yards in Miami’s 2022 Wild-Card round loss to the Bills.