Is Odell Beckham Jr. the Missing Piece for Miami? His Debut Against the Patriots Raises Questions About Team Dynamics and Priorities

Veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is expected to make his season debut for the Miami Dolphins this Sunday against the New England Patriots. NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero report Beckham is being activated from the physically unable to perform list, so full practice for a week clears his path to play in Week 5.

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Dolphins Start Slow in Season

It's been a miserable 1-3 start for the Dolphins, much of which can be owed to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa having suffered a concussion in Week 2. Since then, Miami saw its first defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Bills and three losses in succession as Skylar Thompson took over from Tua at quarterback in Week 3 and last week, Tyler Huntley took his place. Neither was able to save the offense that had been so lethal for Miami.

Subpar Output from Superstars Wide Receivers

So it hasn't been the explosive seasons many people envisioned for star wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Four games in, Hill has caught 17 passes for 217 yards and one touchdown, while Waddle has caught 17 for 212 yards but no scores. The rest of the wide receiver corps has contributed little else, as Robbie Chosen, Grant Dubose, D'Wayne Eskridge, and Malik Washington each have just one catch.

Playoff Impact and Recent Performance

Beckham was able to have a great influence on the setbacks of the injuries during the run of the 2021 Rams into the Super Bowl as he scored 21 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns in four playoff games. He was heading to be a Super Bowl MVP unless the injury to the left ACL occurred in the game. Beckham did not participate for the entire 2022 season but landed with the Ravens and aided them to end at 13-4.

A Fresh Opportunity in Miami

Beckham caught 35 passes for 565 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games with MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson throwing to him in Baltimore. Beckham is not going to be a workhorse for Miami in terms of snaps, but he is the first WR3 head coach Mike McDaniel has had for sure this month of the season. Regardless of the receiving corps that is on the field, the Dolphins will need far more from quarterback Huntley this Sunday against the Patriots if they are going to secure a much-needed win to improve their record to 2-3.

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