One of Miami Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan’s most notable quotes of the offseason looks better than ever after the latest NFL move
Miami Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan’s economic philosophy has never looked better than it does right now.
The Miami Dolphins made the decision to say goodbye to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle this offseason and, ultimately, months later give an extension to running back De’Von Achane.
That’s not necessarily the “in” thing to do. Look across the NFL and you see no shortage of handsomely compensated wide receivers. And the cost just keeps going back up. The latest contract is yet another example of that. The New Orleans Saints have paid wide receiver Chris Olave the big bucks — and it takes me back to the comments Jon-Eric Sullivan made about paying different skill positions back in the spring. His opinion has, frankly, never looked better.
Jon-Eric Sullivan’s economic roster approach has never looked better than now after the latest NFL contract
Olave will sign a four-year contract extension that pushes on average $33 million per season. It’s not the top of the wide receiver market, but it is a dollar figure that comfortably blows past the money that Waddle was scheduled to be making with the Miami Dolphins before he got dealt to Denver. And say what you will about Jaylen Waddle’s injury history, Olave has an extensive list of concussions on his track record. There’s some risk here.
$33 million per season for Olave takes me back to what Jon-Eric Sullivan said during a guest spot on Pro Football Talk this spring, through. The economics for a difference maker sure end up more friendly with what Miami did with their contract.
“I think (running back resurgence) is a good thing. I think when you’re going to start paying players that are going to touch the ball 25-30 times a game, that makes more sense than paying a guy that, on a good day, touches it seven.
— Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan on Pro Football Talk discussing the resurgence of the running back market
Olave, for what its worth, caught 100 passes last season and touched the ball 101 times in 16 games. That’s an average of 6.31 times per game — and the dollars are essentially twice what Miami is now paying Achane. Is Olave a better wide receiver than Achane is a running back? I wouldn’t say so. It all adds up, to me, to Miami’s handling this offseason’s biggest decision look better than ever.
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