Get Ready For the Jeff Wilson Jr. Comeback
Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The Miami Dolphins’ rushing attack is a two-headed monster led by the everlasting and elusive veteran Raheem Mostert and second-year speed demon De’Von Achane, whose burst stands out on a team chock-full of track stars. The pair combined for a total of 1,812 rushing yards, which propelled the Dolphins to seventh in the NFL in rushing yards per game. The media loves talking about them, and they deserve all the glory.
While Mostert, Achane, and fourth-round rookie Wright continue to receive much of the fanfare, veteran running back Jeff Wilson Jr. has largely gone unnoticed up to this point. Considering Wilson missed the first half of the 2023 season with an abdomen muscle strain, it’s easy to see why people aren’t paying him much attention. But if you’re sleeping on Wilson, you might just be in for a surprise.
As it turns out, Wilson is healthy and ready to make a comeback. The six-year veteran is feeling better than ever this offseason, which he attributes to his new offseason regimen. “I wanted to make sure I was more nimble so I’d be able to move, sustain – basically, I was working on my ligaments, the joints, the smaller things,” Wilson said. “Instead of going in big, I was hitting the areas that you don’t normally pay attention to. So far, it feels like it’s working out for me.”
The work Wilson has been putting into his conditioning is slowly starting to pay off. During Sunday’s practice, it was revealed that he earned himself an orange jersey, which is Miami’s daily training camp award presented to the previous day’s best performer. While the orange jersey is just another accolade for some, Wilson isn’t taking it for granted.
“It’s a blessing. This time last year I was in the training room. I wasn’t even able to be out here with the guys and have that camaraderie and feel that atmosphere. To have that jersey, that was one of my goals this offseason was to get that orange jersey and everything, so just another check off the goal list. Like I said, it was an absolute blessing. My teammates were happy for me – glad I got the music to come back out on a Sunday, the first week of practice, get everybody going. Had to get my gospel, everybody told me they loved it. So man, it was an honor and a blessing. Honor and a blessing.”
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Wilson is balling out at camp, as he has always been a very reliable and efficient player. Wilson has averaged 4.5 yards per carry throughout his career, which includes 4.6 yards per carry in his 18 games in Miami. He also proved that he’s capable of putting up impressive stat lines when given enough carries. From Week 2 to Week 5 of the 2022 regular season, Wilson averaged 16 carries for 88 yards per game. Not a bad four-week stretch.
If it weren’t for nagging injuries throughout his career, Wilson could have been a lead back in a committee-based backfield. He’s still capable of being that guy, but he was traded to a team that has him caught in a numbers game. The ascension of Achane only moved Wilson further down the depth chart. Even though he’s the Dolphins’ third option at running back, at most, Wilson is still an important figure in the Dolphins running back room. He had four years of experience playing in a Kyle Shanahan scheme before being traded to Miami, which has made him a great mentor for guys like Wright, who are still learning the offense.
While Wilson says it would be an absolute blessing to get more carries this season, he also knows that the Dolphins have an extremely talented offense and that there’s only one football to go around. He’s just happy to be a part of it in any way he can. “If you see where this is going and you know where this team is headed, of course you want to be a part of it, because it’s special.” Wilson said.
Despite dealing with nagging injuries and limited snaps in a crowded running back room, Wilson has fully prepared himself to make a comeback if the opportunity presents itself. If that opportunity arises, look out.
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