The Miami Dolphins officially announced the addition of veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. on Wednesday morning.
"Beckham is a three-time Pro Bowl selection (2014-16), Super Bowl Champion (LIV) and was 2014 NFL offensive rookie of the year," highlighted the Dolphins' official press release.
Yes, it's been a minute since, you know, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
But the Dolphins and Beckham, 31, believe they're a great fit at this time.
Beckham loves South Florida — who doesn't? — and must have vibed with head coach Mike McDaniel on his recruiting visit.
Who doesn't?
Here are three takeaways now that Beckham's signing is official:
Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Odell Beckham NFL's best trio
Yes, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are the NFL's top receiving duo.
Yes, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Odell Beckham are the NFL's top receiving trio.
Those three players have totaled 1,534 catches, 21,456 receiving yards and 153 touchdowns in the NFL.
Re-read that if you have a minute.
Yes, the Eagles' DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown are really good.
Yes, the Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are really good.
And in a move that counters Miami's addition of Beckham, the Bengals have added Tyler Boyd as a No. 3 receiver.
Yes, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are a nice combination.
But it's Miami that has the best receiver talent and depth in the NFL.
How does Odell Beckham Jr. affect Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa?
When Tua was a rookie, in 2020, his top wide receivers were: DeVante Parker, Jakeem Grant, Lynn Bowden Jr., Isaiah Ford, Preston Williams and Mack Hollins.
No knock on those guys, but, Tua has, umm, upgraded his arsenal.
There are, of course, no excuses for Tua in 2024.
It's also true that Tua has already led the NFL in passer rating and passing yards in 2022 and 2023.
Waddle missed three games last season due to injury. If that happens again, Beckham is poised to stand in as Tua's No. 2 target in those games.
Hill has missed only two games over the past three seasons. But he has experienced cramping in various games. In those cases he's on the sideline, Beckham is poised to stand in as Tua's No. 2 target.
Beckham is only 5-foot-11. But he is capable of playing bigger than Hill and Waddle, who are 5-foot-10.
He can go deep. But he can also break a tackle after a slant, quick out or screen. And all three of these receivers have the versatility to line up in the slot. This means McDaniel can continue to be creative and unpredictable with formations, shifts and play design.
Miami can also afford this type of "luxury" addition for 2024, because it's probably the last year they'll have Tua on an under-market-value contract.
Even if Tua signs a new deal before the season, it's probable the 2024 salary cap hit will be reasonable, before leaping forward in 2025 and beyond.
How does Beckham affect Braxton Berrios and Miami's WR room?
Braxton Berrios is slippery and competitive. He's made a positive impact on special teams since entering the NFL, including last season with the Dolphins.
But in part because he's 5-foot-9, and Miami's top two receivers are small, he at times was behind receivers such as Cedrick Wilson Jr. last season.
The departed Wilson, who chipped in on the run game, actually out-snapped Berrios 545-456.
Berrios had 27 catches for 238 receiving yards last season.
Berrios knew this could be coming. He's also sharp enough to know Beckham starts out ahead of him on Miami's updated depth chart.
Recently, Berrios was asked about how his targets decreased as last season progressed.
"We have so many guys on this team that are elite, especially on the skill position, on the offensive skill position at that," Berrios said. "So it becomes one of those things, it’s at the end of the day, it’s a numbers game, right. You have all these guys to feed. You have the running backs, the tight ends and obviously the two absolute elite receivers and sometimes it happens that way."
Miami has very good depth at receiver, including River Cracraft, Erik Ezukanma and rookies Malik Washington and Tahj Washington.
The competition for the last few spots on Miami's roster should be compelling.
Hill, Waddle, Beckham and Berrios are the top four.
Does Miami keep two or three more among the rest?
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
