Jarvis Landry has been shipped off to Cleveland, so will step into his role as the slot receiver in the Miami Dolphins offense for 2018?
The Miami Dolphins have traded away their top wide receiver of the past four years in Jarvis Landry. However, instead of looking into who will be their top receiver in 2018, we will instead look at who will be manning the slot receiver role that Juice once held.
Heading into training camp, it appears the team has three serious contenders for the job. It will likely come down to Albert Wilson, Jakeem Grant and Danny Amendola.
I expect all three players to a role in the offense this season, especially if DeVante Parker struggles to stay healthy throughout the 2018 campaign. However, they will need one man to be the top guy. Each guy has a case. There is one right answer though.
We’ll start with Grant. Fans are of course bias towards him because he’s a homegrown talent and his 5-7, 169-pound stature is something fans love to support. The speedster showed flashes last season when given the opportunity with two exciting touchdowns. Nevertheless, his undersized frame that endears him to so many, is the same thing that scares them.
It is not easy to make in the NFL at 5-7. I do, however, believe he will have a key role on this team. Look for him to return punts, get the ball on gadget plays and get the ball in space when the Dolphins spread out the defense. With that said, I believe he has the smallest role of these three guys as a receiver this upcoming season.
We’ve all seen what Amendola can do on the biggest stage. The talent is there and surely he will be looked to as the veteran leader of this group bringing a winning culture over from New England. If one of the outside receivers get injured, he’s probably best suited to step into that role. Nonetheless, I’m not sold that he can win this slot job outright.
The upside certainly isn’t overwhelming. He will turn 33 this season and he has never hit the 700-yard mark or topped four touchdowns. So I don’t expect him to suddenly blow those numbers out of the water this season. He’ll play a significant role and make some clutch plays, but I’m not betting on him to be the primary slot receiver this season.
My money is on Wilson. He was quietly the team’s “big acquisition” signed to replace Landry right after he was traded. The talent and upside are both there and he has a real shot to break out this season. He’s bigger than Grant at 5-9, 200 pounds and still runs a sub 4.5-second 40-yard dash. He’s also just 25 years old.
Last year in Kansas City, he caught 42 of 63 targets for 554 yards and three touchdowns. I expect him to win the job this summer and take a big step forward on the field this season. I don’t anticipate him catching 100-plus passes like Landry, but I wouldn’t at all be shocked if he tops 800 yards and six touchdowns.
Next: NFL 2018: WRs with best chance at 2,000 yards
This will likely be the most exciting battle to watch at camp this summer and perhaps the most important for the offense. It wouldn’t shock me if any one of these guys stepped up and became a camp standout. I like all three guys but I believe Wilson will win the job and be a key piece for not just 2018, but the future in Miami as well.