Tag: braxton berrios

Dolphins turning to rookie Malik Washington to handle return duties

With Braxton Berrios done for the year, the Dolphins are turning to Malik Washington to make plays in the return game.

The Miami Dolphins will be without Braxton Berrios for the rest of 2024, but they’re hoping sixth-round rookie Malik Washington can provide a spark in return game instead.

“He did a good job in the preseason, got a good history,” Dolphins special teams coordinator Danny Crossman said of Washington on Thursday.  “Sadly, with Braxton getting injured, we felt really off to a strong year in the return game and decision-making and some of the things that he was able to do. But with Malik and some of the other guys that we’ve talked about over the years, we think we still have some quality players on the roster.”

Washington, 23, returned four kickoffs and 10 punts in preseason, averaging 28.8 yards on kick returns and 8.4 yards on punts. That included a 45-yard kick return and a 28-yard punt return during the Dolphins’ preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

However, that yardage was largely picked up against backup special teamers and Washington muffed the first punt kicked his way in August. It wouldn’t be surprising if there are growing pains for the rookie, who is tasked with replacing a sixth-year veteran who once earned All-Pro honors.

Behind Washington on the depth chart for kick return duties is running back De’Von Achane, who returned one kick for 32 yards in Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Dolphins also have Tyreek Hill, who earned All-Pro honors as a rookie for his return skills, but hasn’t returned a kickoff in nearly eight years.

“I’m washed up in that department, bro. For real, I’m done,” Hill said with a laugh. “No, if the team needs me to go back there and return punts, obviously I’ll go back there. In critical situations I’m always trying to get the ball in my hands. I always want to be that playmaker. That’s just my mindset so for the past few weeks I’ve been practicing catching punts anyways, so if my number is called, I’m going to go back there.”

For now, though, it’s Washington who will be tasked with keeping the Dolphins, who rank fourth in average punt return yards and 13th in kick return average, on track.

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Dolphins make injured reserve swap, bring back CB Cam Smith

The Dolphins added their 2023 second-round pick back into the fold.

Miami Dolphins cornerback Cam Smith is set to make his season debut Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals after he was activated from the team’s injured reserve Monday.

To make room on the 53-man roster, the Dolphins placed return specialist Braxton Berrios on the injured reserve. Berrios suffered a knee injury Sunday late in Miami’s 16-10 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, an MRI revealed a torn ACL for the returner.

Smith, 23, was the Dolphins’ top pick in the 2023 NFL draft, taken with the No. 51 overall selection in the second round. However, he rarely saw the field as a rookie aside from special teams, and played only 20 defensive snaps.

While the cornerback appeared primed to play a bigger role in 2024, Smith suffered a hamstring injury in the Dolphins’ second preseason game and landed on injured reserve when the team cut its roster down to 53 players. In his absence, undrafted rookie Storm Duck has been called upon to step into the lineup as a reserve defensive back behind Jalen Ramsey, Kendall Fuller, and Kader Kohou.

The Dolphins opened Smith’s 21-day practice window to return from injured reserve on Oct. 2, meaning the team had to decide in the next few days whether it would return the cornerback to the active roster or lose him for the remainder of the year.

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Dolphins fear WR/RS Braxton Berrios suffered significant knee injury

The Dolphins’ return specialist is due to undergo an MRI to see if his knee injury is as serious as feared.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver and return specialist Braxton Berrios will undergo an MRI on Monday, but the fear is that he suffered a significant knee injury Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told Josh Moser of 7 News.

Berrios, 29, suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of the Dolphins’ 16-10 loss after a 26-yard kickoff return.

While he’s been a non-factor on offense with zero receptions through six games, Berrios has made a few big plays on special teams, including a 44-yard punt return against the Seattle Seahawks and a 27-yarder against the Tennessee Titans.

Dolphins sixth-round rookie Malik Washington may be the player who gets more snaps on offense if Berrios is out for a significant stretch, and Washington is also the player listed as the backup punt returner. Starting running back De’Von Achane is listed as the Dolphins’ backup kickoff returner, although the team may be inclined to preserve back and let Washington return kicks.

Berrios, an All-Pro returner with the New York Jets in 2021, joined the Dolphins as a free agent last year and was re-signed by Miami earlier this year.

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Braxton Berrios ‘very excited’ about NFL’s new kickoff rules

Braxton Berrios says he and special teams coordinator Danny Crossman are already at work coming up with kick return strategies for 2024.

The NFL changed the kickoff rules earlier this offseason with the hope of revitalizing a portion of football that was slowly dying. Miami Dolphins return specialist Braxton Berrios couldn’t be happier about it.

“I love it. I think it brings back a really exciting play in a game where it was kind of eliminated the last few years,” Berrios told reporters Tuesday. “So I’m very excited, because I think it’s a big part of the game and a part that I love to do. So yeah, I want those [return] percentages as high as possible.”

In 2023, kickoffs resulted in touchbacks 73 percent of the time. In 17 regular season games, the Dolphins recorded only 18 kickoff returns.

That will likely change in 2024 with rule changes that incentive kicking teams to try to pin the opponent deep. Most importantly, if the kickoff reaches the end zone in the air, a touchback pushes the ball all the way to the 30-yard line.

Berrios, 28, earned All-Pro honors as a returner in 2021 when he averaged a league-best 30.4 yards per kick return while with the New York Jets. With the rule changes potentially making the return game much more valuable, Berrios said he and special teams coordinator Danny Crossman are already coming up with ideas for the 2024 season.

“[We’ve] just been bouncing off each other, strategies, what we think might happen, what we can see happening, what we think is the best way to go about it,” Berrios said. “I think Week 1 is going to be – that opening kickoff of the season is going to be very interesting all across the board.

“I don’t think we’ll see much in preseason. I think everybody is going to pop it up and let your cover guys cover and see who can block on the return team. And I think Week 1 is going to be … everybody’s going to think they have the ace of cards up their sleeves. So I really truly don’t know what to expect.”

Berrios averaged 24.5 yards on 18 kickoff returns in 2023 and 10.2 yards on 23 punt returns. In March, he re-signed with the Dolphins on a one-year deal.

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Breaking down the terms of Dolphins WR Braxton Berrios’ new contract

Contract details for Dolphins WR Braxton Berrios’ second deal.

The Miami Dolphins had a number of their own wide receivers hitting the market this offseason, so they had to make an effort to re-sign some of them, and they did just that.

Miami gave wideout Braxton Berrios, 28, a one-year deal worth $2.15 million to remain with the team for a second season.

 According to Over the Cap, Berrios will receive a $1.4 million base salary ($750,000 guaranteed), a $450,000 signing bonus and $300,000 in per-game roster bonuses. His cap hit for the 2024 season is set to be $2.13 million.

While this deal isn’t for a ton of money, it will likely keep him tied to the team through the year. Releasing Berrios would result in a $1.2 million dead-cap hit while saving roughly $932,000.

Berrios is currently the third wide receiver on the Dolphins’ depth chart behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and he will also likely serve as the team’s punt returner again. That second role is his most important, but Miami is hoping that Berrios improves from last season and returns to his All-Pro form this year.

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WATCH: Braxton Berrios seems ecstatic to be re-signing with the Dolphins

A behind-the-scenes look of Braxton Berrios re-signing with Miami, provided by his girlfriend, Alix Earle.

The Miami Dolphins needed to address their wide receiver depth and find a return specialist this offseason, and they decided that the best thing to do right now is to re-sign Braxton Berrios, who played his first season for Miami in 2023.

While we’re still waiting for the final numbers on the contract, we did get a bit of a behind-the-scenes look at the moment the wideout found out he was returning to South Florida for the 2024 season via his girlfriend, social media mega-star Alix Earle.

@alixearle

OH MY GOD

♬ original sound – Alix Earle

In the video, Berrios can be heard speaking to his agent, Drew Rosenahus, before sharing the news with Earle that he’s rejoining the Dolphins.

We don’t often get to see these moments, so to see the excitement that Berrios and Earle had about his return to Miami is awesome.

Dolphins re-signing WR Braxton Berrios

Miami re-signs their first WR of the offseason.

The Miami Dolphins went into the offseason with a number of wide receivers hitting free agency, and on Saturday, they finally made the decision to bring one of them back.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Dolphins are re-signing Braxton Berrios to a one-year deal worth up to $3 million.

Berrios, 28, joined Miami last offseason after being drafted by the New England Patriots and playing four years for the New York Jets. He recorded 27 receptions for 238 yards and one touchdown last year while averaging the 13th-most yards per punt return (10.2).

The former Miami Hurricane will now rejoin Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Erik Ezukanma, Braylon Sanders and Mathew Sexton in the team’s wide receiver room. Considering his experience, Berrios probably slots in as the third option of the group at the moment.

Dolphins free agent profile: Is Braxton Berrios a one-and-done in Miami?

What should Miami do with Braxton Berrios?

The Miami Dolphins have 29 players who are expected to hit free agency in March, including a wide receiver and slot returner who joined the team last year – Braxton Berrios.

Berrios, 28, was originally a sixth-round draft pick of the New England Patriots in 2018 following a collegiate career with the Miami Hurricane that included a Third-team All-ACC season in 2017.

Berrios spent his rookie year on injured reserve before being waived and then claimed by the New York Jets in 2019. He spent four years with the Jets, becoming an All-Pro punt returner in 2021.

Miami signed Berrios to a one-year. $3.5 million contract last year to fill the same duties on offense and special teams. Berrios appeared in 16 games in 2023, recording 27 receptions for 238 yards and one touchdown. As a returner, he averaged 10.2 yards per attempt, which was the 13th-most for any player with at least 10 attempts.

Berrios isn’t the only Dolphins receiver set to hit the market this offseason, as Cedrick Wilson Jr., Robbie Chosen, Chase Claypool and River Cracraft will as well, so the team has a clear need for depth.

With that being said, Berrios didn’t do anything exceptionally well for Miami in 2023. He fills a couple of roles, but the Dolphins should definitely look for an opportunity to upgrade. It’s unlikely that he’ll receive a huge deal as soon as free agency opens, so general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel could pivot back and sign him to another one-year deal for a reasonable price if needed.

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6 Wide receivers Minnesota Vikings could target in free agency

With both K.J. Osborn and Brandon Powell set to hit free agency, will the Vikings look to replace them? Here’s six free agent possibilities.

Last week we took a look at some quarterbacks and running backs the Minnesota Vikings could pursue in free agency. Now it’s time to look outside at the wide receivers. Wide receiver is a position the Vikings don’t necessarily need to prioritize in the NFL’s free agency period.

They have an All-Pro-caliber number one receiver in Justin Jefferson, who is under contract for another year. Minnesota will likely attempt to move Heaven and Earth to get Jefferson under contract long-term, too.

On the other side of Jefferson, they have Jordan Addison, who proved during his rookie campaign last year that he’s more than capable of blossoming into a formidable receiver in his own right. The 1-2 punch of Jefferson and Addison can be a real force to be reckoned with in the league if the Vikings get their quarterback situation squared away.

Whether that means Kirk Cousins, a free agent, or taking someone in the NFL draft remains to be seen.

Further down the depth chart is where things start to get interesting. For the last four years they’ve had K.J. Osborn, who has been a solid option in the passing game and has shown glimpses of being able to provide more than he’s been asked to.

He’s almost an afterthought in the Vikings offense with the WRs above ahead of him, along with tight end T.J. Hockenson. Brandon Powell rounds out the position, and brings some solid play as a WR4.

Both Osborn and Powell are scheduled to hit the open market in free agency. Should the Vikings sign one — or both — or should they look to upgrade at the position with someone who’s available? Let’s take a look at six options the Vikings could look at at wide receiver.