SerpApi.Org
The Miami Dolphins have a lot of new faces in their receiving corps this year.
Gone are Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, who were Miami’s top two receivers in each of the past four seasons.
Now, in the first year of rebuilding under general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley, the Dolphins will need a new No. 1 receiver. Jalen Tolbert, who signed a one-year contract this offseason, could be Miami’s X-factor, according to Athlon Sports NFL writer and analyst Doug Farrar.
“The one guy in the room who could elevate himself is Jalen Tolbert, the fifth-year receiver out of South Alabama whom the Dallas Cowboys selected in the third round of the 2022 draft,” Farrar wrote. “The Dolphins signed Tolbert to a one-year, veteran minimum deal at $1,402,500 with $1,262,500 guaranteed.
"The economics would tell you that the Dolphins aren’t expecting too much out of Tolbert, but if they can get what the Cowboys got out of him in 2024, when he caught 49 passes on 79 targets for 610 yards and seven touchdowns, that would be ideal.”
After signing a three-year, $67.5 million contract, Malik Willis is the new starting quarterback in Miami. With so many new faces in the receiving corps, Tolbert’s versatility and big-play ability could make him one of Willis’ favorite targets.
Tolbert’s career appeared to be on the rise after that 2024 season. However, his production dipped in his final year with the Cowboys. He finished with 18 catches for 203 yards and one touchdown, and he was inactive for four games.
The Cowboys’ acquisition of George Pickens from the Steelers led to fewer opportunities for Tolbert. On a young Dolphins team without a proven playmaker at receiver, Tolbert has a chance to emerge as the top target in a wide-open competition for the No. 1 receiver role.
Tolbert will compete with Tutu Atwell and Malik Washington for targets during training camp. However, like Tolbert, neither Atwell nor Washington has proven he can be a No. 1 receiver. Third-round pick Caleb Douglas, a vertical threat, could also challenge Tolbert for opportunities.
Training camp will ultimately determine whether Tolbert can emerge as the Dolphins' top receiver. Replacing the production of Hill and Waddle will be a difficult task, but Tolbert may have the highest upside of any receiver on Miami’s roster.
