Malik Washington might still be an intriguing young receiver for the Miami Dolphins. He hopes to use that experience to play a critical role in the NFL’s next season. As a sixth-round pick, Washington has demonstrated his potential through hard work and dedication, hoping to build on his previous performance to become a reliable target for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins’ passing offense should feature stars Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. At the same time, Washington is just as keen to prove himself as the Seahawks’ offensive line trump card.
During the 2022 campaign, Washington caught 26 passes for 223 yards on 36 targets, serving as Miami’s fourth pass-catching option. His contributions absolutely sparkled in a difficult year. The team was forced to walk the tightrope of four different quarterbacks due to Tagovailoa’s injury woes. Through all of these struggles, Washington stayed tough, dedicated to developing his craft.
Fittingly, this summer Washington has developed into one of Tagovailoa’s favorite targets. He showcased his skills in the preseason finale, where he scored a 25-yard touchdown after evading linebacker Chad Muma and sprinting into the end zone. This performance did much to showcase his premier playmaking ability, but even more so it showed a developing chemistry with the team’s young starting quarterback.
Washington clearly knows how important it is to develop chemistry with Tagovailoa. He’s been very intentional to deepen their relationship. This means saying yes to an invitation from Tagovailoa to come aboard with him, even if it makes you uncomfortable because you don’t like boats.
“I want to say he invited us on his boat and I made sure — I don’t even like boats,” – Malik Washington
His enthusiasm on jumping on board with team bonding experiences is a great example of how he’s looking to build relationships with guys in the locker room.
“I don’t even like being on the water, but I made sure to be there and just be around the guys and really have an opportunity to connect, but like you said, any time he invites (me) to something, I’m probably going to show up,” – Malik Washington
Washington feels that this development has gone a long way in improving Tagovailoa’s faith in him. He noted major developments in Tagovailoa’s passing game from last season. He is confident these improvements will serve his players and both as they look forward into an exciting season ahead.
“I noticed Tua’s improvement from last year to this year,” – Malik Washington
Washington’s confidence is further bolstered by the belief that he is a lock to make the Dolphins’ initial 53-man roster. He doesn’t take too high of an approach on it, realizing that every day is a chance to show it.
“I’m just going to have that sense of urgency, that sense of I haven’t done anything to necessarily make it a shoo-in or make it a given,” – Malik Washington
He understands that as a sixth-rounder, all he has to do is show up to his spot on the roster isn’t guaranteed without the daily work and execution.
“I’m a sixth-round pick and I always remember that. I always have that in the back of my head, but at the end of the day I’m an NFL player and everybody on an NFL roster has to earn each and every day to be on this 53-man roster. So for me it’s just pouring into that each and every moment, each and every opportunity that I get,” – Malik Washington
As the Dolphins look forward to the months ahead, Washington’s perspective will be key. The team’s offensive strategy will heavily rely on veterans like Hill and Waddle. They recognize the importance of depth and versatility among their receiving corps.
Even quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was impressed by Washington’s multi-dimensional skill set, saying that it goes further than just catching passes.
“You guys saw the touchdown he had, but I think what gets overlooked with Malik is also the blocking aspect of his game,” – Tua Tagovailoa
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