While many Miami Dolphins fans and even the national media seem to believe that the team has had a decent, if not solid, to great, offseason, the beginning of the offseason was anything but.
The 2024 free agency period saw the Phins lose three of their own players, Christian Wilkins, Robert Hunt, and Andrew Van Ginkel, who they had both drafted and developed into great or even star players.
Now, the Dolphins head into another season with yet three more star/emerging star players they must decide on as it applies to their long-term futures.
First is Jevon Holland. Holland is entering the final season of his rookie contract.
Unlike the other two players we will discuss, he was not eligible for the fifth-year option as a second-round pick.
This makes Holland the most immediate priority of the three, in my opinion.
In his three seasons, Holland has cemented himself as one of the NFL’s best and most reliable safeties.
It seems as if Holland is only ascending in his level of play each season, and signing him to an extension before the kickoff of the 2024 season might be the smartest option, with his price tag most likely only increasing substantially by waiting until next offseason.
Next is Jaylen Waddle. Like Holland, Waddle is entering his fourth season and has had his fifth-year option picked up as a first-round selection.
While there have been many debates among the Dolphins fan base about whether or not Waddle is a true number-one wide receiver in the NFL, he has been productive in his first three seasons.
In his three seasons, Waddle has had over a thousand yards receiving every season and averaged 13.5 yards per reception and 6 TDs per season.
Even if the Dolphins do not see Waddle as a true number one and an eventual successor to Tyreek Hill, he will demand a much larger payday if allowed to hit the open market.
Like Holland, his price tag will only increase as time passes, especially if he goes out and has an even better season in 2024 than he has had in any of his three previous seasons.
