When Miami wide receiver Jaylen Waddle met with reporters at the Dolphins’ first OTA workout of the offseason on Tuesday, one noted the former Alabama standout appeared stronger.

“You see that?” said Waddle, who declined to say how much weight he’d gained.

“You see me run somebody over, then you’ll know,” Waddle said.

When asked how much stronger he felt, Waddle said: “You trying to arm wrestle? I feel bigger, stronger, faster, so it’s good right now.”

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Waddle said those improvements are what the offseason is for.

“I think each year you plan on getting better, bigger, faster, stronger, more knowledge,” Waddle said, “and you’ll continue to – if you want success in this league, that’s how you’re going to continue to get it.”

After joining the Dolphins as the sixth selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, Waddle set the league rookie record with 104 receptions. By averaging 9.8 yards per reception, he totaled 1,015 yards with six touchdowns on those catches. But in his first season with Mike McDaniel as Miami’s coach, Waddle led the NFL with an average of 18.1 yards per catch as he had 1,356 yards and eight touchdowns on 75 receptions.

While “bigger, faster, stronger” represents one type of growth, Waddle said his greatest improvement in the NFL had come in the area of knowledge.

“Another year under my belt,” Waddle said. “I got to see how the league works even more. I think preparation, seeing defenses and knowing what a defense is going to do, how they plan on playing us and adjusting the game. I feel like it’s a lot I can grow from in the first two seasons. Still growing, just trying to stack days together.”

In Waddle’s rookie season, the Dolphins finished 25th among the NFL’s 32 teams in points. The installation of McDaniel’s offensive playbook jumped Miami to sixth in the league in points in 2022. A season in the system holds the promise of even more in 2023, Waddle said.

“Last year, I feel like we were learning,” Waddle said. “Now we kind of know the details and what he’s looking for, what (quarterback) Tua (Tagovailoa)’s looking for, so getting to the spots, beating man coverage, things like that, so it’s just more knowledge of the offense.”

Tagovailoa missed time last season because of two concussions, including one that ended his season on Dec. 25.

“Tua’s been great,” Waddle said. “Y’all are going to see it, and y’all keep coming out, seeing how he throws the ball and he’s being him.”

Waddle’s spread of production last season went from a game with one reception for 9 yards to a contest with 11 receptions for 171 yards and two touchdowns.

“I think just staying consistent throughout the year,” Waddle said of his personal goal for the 2023 campaign. “I feel like I was up and down last year, so just staying consistent each and every week.”

The Dolphins have reached Phase 3 of the offseason program, when teams are allowed to conduct 10 days of organized team practice activity, often referred to as OTAs. No live contact is permitted, but teams can expand their workouts to include 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. A three-day mandatory minicamp also can be held during this period.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.