While the Dolphins’ star duo at wide receiver draws the spotlight, Tua Tagovailoa’s growing chemistry with another target could be critical in big moments
There’s plenty of focus on Miami’s top two receivers but a budding relationship between Tua Tagovailoa and another pass catcher could be key.
The Miami Dolphins have a super-duo at wide receiver that has been the defining element their offensive attack in recent years. The pair of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle boast a prolific skill set with explosiveness and speed. When Miami’s offense is at its best, the spacing these two create essentially defines the entire operation and helps amplify the best qualities of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
But when Miami’s offense is at its worst, this pair is typically bottled up — be it from clouded corners and rolled safeties or blanketed by a long, physical press corner who has enough speed to stay sticky while playing in phase. And it is in those moments that Miami has been seeking a viable alternative for the “gotta have it” moments in the offense. When teams roll coverage to those two, who is going to be the guy who consistently wins?
Second-year wide receiver Malik Washington is throwing his hat in the ring. And based on Tagovailoa’s post-game comments in Chicago, the team’s franchise quarterback appears to be buying in, too.
Malik Washington’s chemistry with Tua Tagovailoa could be the change-up Miami’s receiving room has needed
“Malik is the type of player that’s going to be right where you need him to be. He’s going to be someone that plays within the timing of the play, knowing how deep he needs to be versus zone coverage and versus man coverage, working his man and getting to the right stem within the right timing as well. I would say that about Malik. He takes coaching really, really well, too. If you tell him on a certain route, ‘I don’t like that you did this. I want this.’ Next time it comes up, you know what you’re going to get with him.”
— Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on second-year wide receiver Malik Washington
A lot of Miami’s biggest errors in the passing game can be drawn back to the root of what Tagovailoa is speaking on here. The anticipatory nature of Tagovailoa as a passer means he’s often throwing things before he sees them, expecting his receivers to be where they’re designed to be based on the leverage of the coverage. If the break turns the wrong way or the angle is wrong, the ball is going to be in harm’s way.
It has bit the Dolphins in the past. But if Malik Washington is everything Tagovailoa is praising him to be, that’s a big part of the battle to earning the quarterback’s trust. The other part is getting open and making the play. Tagovailoa looked for Washington twice on Sunday in the opening possession of the preseason against the Bears with Hill and Waddle not dressed. One, a 4th-and-3 and the other, a 3rd-and-4. Washington converted both receptions for first downs with a well-placed football.
The connection showed signs of budding in 2024, including a game-sealing corner route against Cover-2 against the Los Angeles Rams on the road mid-season. Tagovailoa only started seeking out Washington on third downs in the middle of the season in 2024 — Washington was targeted four times by Tagovailoa last season on third down. He converted the final two opportunities he had, one against Houston in Week 15 and the other in Week 16 against the 49ers.
There’s plenty of room for this connection to grow. But with Washington clearly earning the trust of Tagovailoa, it is likely safe to say that when teams commit to taking away the super-duo of Hill and Waddle, Washington is the one with the inside track to be “the guy” amid the other receivers.