The Miami Dolphins are hoping Odell Beckham Jr.’s return will be the jolt their sputtering offense needs. After a long wait, OBJ is finally back from injury and eligible to play against the New England Patriots this Sunday. Dolphins fans are understandably excited about the prospect of adding a proven playmaker like Beckham to their receiving corps, but can he be the missing piece that unlocks the Dolphins’ true offensive potential?
A Struggling Offense Awaits Its Spark
The Dolphins’ passing game has been sputtering like a car on its last fumes, especially with Tua sidelined. Hill and Waddle have been doing their best to carry the load, both hauling in 17 catches through four games, but they need a reliable third option to emerge.
The rest of the receiving corps has been, to put it kindly, underwhelming. Robbie Chosen, Grant DuBose, D’Wayne Eskridge, and Malik Washington are all tied for third on the team with a single reception each.
Hill, despite his usual explosiveness, is averaging a pedestrian 54 yards per game. This lack of depth at receiver has made it too easy for defenses to key in on Hill and Waddle, limiting the Dolphins’ offensive options.
Welker’s Optimism
Enter Odell Beckham Jr., like a knight in shining armor, ready to inject some much-needed firepower into this offense. Wide receivers coach Wes Welker, a former slot receiver who knows a thing or two about catching passes, seems genuinely excited about Beckham’s progress in practice.
“Odell’s looked great,” Welker said. “You know, just in some of the routes on air and different things like that.
He looks like the Odell that we’ve seen.”
“We’re getting him out there, getting him moving around, chemistry with all of the guys in the room. And with the quarterbacks. And just continue to work the process.”
Welker also acknowledged the potential impact Beckham could have on the Dolphins’ offensive scheme. “We have a lot of receivers and we’ve had a lot of injuries, too, and everything else, but you know when you can add a player of Odell’s caliber it can open up the offense. We’ll see how that kind of pans out and kind of go through practice and kind of talk about as a staff and and figure out the best-case scenario for for our team.”
Can OBJ Recapture the Magic?
But let’s be real, folks. We’ve seen this song and dance before with star receivers coming to Miami.
The question on everyone’s mind is: can OBJ turn back the clock and recapture the magic that made him a household name? He’s 31 years old now and coming off a major injury, so it’s fair to wonder if he can still be the dominant force he once was.
That said, Beckham has topped 1,000 yards receiving five times in his career, most recently in 2019. If he can even come close to replicating that kind of production, it would be a huge boost for the Dolphins’ offense.
Hill’s Outburst: Frustration or Leadership?
In the midst of the Dolphins’ offensive struggles, Tyreek Hill was spotted getting heated on the sidelines during their most recent loss. Some saw it as a sign of frustration, while others interpreted it as an attempt to rally his teammates.
Hill himself said he was just trying to inspire the guys. Welker, for his part, didn’t seem too bothered by Hill’s outburst.
“I think it’s an emotional game and I think there’s emotional players,” Welker said. “I mean, I don’t know if you’ve seen, but Tom Brady used to have outbursts like that, you know, all the time in trying to lead the team and put us in a positive direction. or whatever it is.”
“If I look disinterested, it’s more the fact of, you know, letting players be players and letting leaders be leaders and you know it’s it’s their team not ours. What needs to be done and what needs to be said, you know, needs to be done and said.”