The 1-5 Miami Dolphins could be a Week 7 loss to the Cleveland Browns away from blowing it up and hitting the reset button.
Some have speculated head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier are on their way out, and it’s been reported the team will part ways with star wide receiver Tyreek Hill in the offseason.
Hill is lost for the season after suffering a gruesome dislocated knee and torn ligaments in the Dolphins’ lone win of the year against the New York Jets three weeks ago.
With Miami bordering on falling out of playoff contention, it’s been speculated the team could trade key pieces like running back De’Von Achane and receiver Jaylen Waddle to help jump start a potential rebuild — though if the Dolphins parted with either player, it would likely take a king’s ransom to pry either away.
But Waddle further fanned the flames of the trade rumors he’s at the center of with a curiously timed social media post on Thursday.
On his Instagram page, Waddle posted a photo montage with the caption “….” — and among the photos was one of him walking helmetless on the field at Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills.
That singular photo, which was just the fourth post he’s made this year and the first since last November that wasn’t an advertisement, was the only one of Waddle with another team’s logo in the background, prompting some Dolphins fans to fear he wants out of town while some Bills fans believe he’s hinting that he wants to be traded to.
“(Bills GM) Brandon Beane doesn’t have the ability to draft superstar receivers. This years trade rumors are his best opportunity at adding legitimate help for Josh,” one fan posted.
“Interesting that it has a bills logo in the background outta all the pictures he coulda posted🤷♂️,” another fan replied.
“Ohhh he wants in Buffalo,” added another fan.
“I will not read into the Bills background. I will not read into the Bills background. I will not read into the Bills background. I will not…” wrote one user.
“I will not be delusional. I will not be delusional. I will not be delusional. JAYLEN WADDLE TO THE BILLS BABY. HE 100% POSTED THE BACKROUND AS A CLUE. OMG,” another user remarked.
Whether Waddle really did drop an Easter egg or not, the chances of the Dolphins trading $84.75 million receiver to a division rival is highly unlikely.
Waddle leads the Dolphins in catches (29), targets (40), and receiving yards (390), and he’s second in touchdowns (three) through six games. In his previous four seasons, the 26-year-old Waddle hit 70 catches and 1,000 yards three times.
