In their first season under head coach Mike McDaniel, the Miami Dolphins didn’t exactly have the league’s best punt return situation.
Despite having Tyreek Hill, a former All-Pro in the return game, and Jaylen Waddle, a great returner in college, Miami relied mostly on Cedrick Wilson to perform those duties.
Wilson had 13 returns for 97 yards, safety Jevon Holland had four returns for 18 yards and Hill had two returns for -4 yards.
The decision was puzzling to many, as Hill and Waddle have the experience to do the job and do it well. McDaniel, at the league meetings, explained the decision to stay away from the wide receiver duo on special teams.
“This is a decision that I make with regard to the players and with (special teams coach) Danny (Crossman) and risk-reward for everything,” McDaniel said (transcribed by the Palm Beach Post). “In this particular season, I probably would have expected them to return more. But then as the games were happening, there was honestly, the stuff that they were able to do offensively and how much of an important feature they were, that’s the way it played out.”
This offseason, the Dolphins added former New York Jets wide receiver Braxton Berrios to the roster, who has also been an All-Pro punt returner in his career.
With Berrios likely having a less important role than Hill or Waddle, there’s a strong chance he could be Miami’s primary punt returner in 2023.
“You always want the threat to be there,” McDaniel said. “And it always will be there because those guys are competitors and can affect the game. But, you know, having a starting point in Braxton, I think is nice as well, where he’s had so much success and then you know, whatever else we can come up with, Shoot, maybe we’ll have three returners out there.”
If the Dolphins can get some better results out of that aspect of their team, they can put their offense and defense in better situations, setting themselves up for more scores and easier wins.
