Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright is ready to rebound after a rookie year in which he was largely absent.
Wright, a 2024 fourth-rounder, has an opportunity in front of him with the departure of Raheem Mostert, and he has every intention of making the most of each touch behind starter De'Von Achane as he seeks to prove himself the weapon he appeared to be coming out of last year's draft.
"I just really feel like and I know I can be a top back in this league," Wright said Thursday on Up & Adams. "I feel like just my skill set, my ability and the system I'm in, it sets me up to be great. … It's a long season, staying the course, doing what I got to do every time I touch that rock, every time the ball comes to me just make a play. I'm very excited. I'm very blessed to be in this position. It's going to be a very great year this year."
Wright's initial union with Miami seemed to be a heaven-made match. A sturdy back with 4.38 40-yard dash speed, he was the latest in a long line of Fins speedsters heading into the '24 campaign. But the Dolphins electric offense found several bumps in the road, and the rookie was unable to establish himself in the backfield.
He played more than a quarter of the team's offenses snaps in just three contests and finished the season with 249 yards on 68 carries. Mostert, since released, was used only marginally more with 85 carries, while Achane handled 203.
It would behoove the Dolphins to spell Achane as much as possible, especially since he's also used so frequently in the passing game (78 receptions) and is on the smaller side at 5-foot-8, 188 pounds.
Wright has every confidence in himself to be the next man up, and his size-speed combo remains enticing for an offense built to motor along with wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. He'll still need to fend off newcomers for carries, though, namely free-agent signee Alexander Mattison and Ollie Gordon II, an enticing sixth-round pick who appeared on course in 2023 to eventually be a top RB taken before taking a step back his final collegiate season.
However much Wright ends up seeing the field, the young back also expects a more varied deployment after being limited to three catches for eight yards last season.
"Pass game, I'm going to be way more involved this year," Wright said. "Way more involved just in everything. Run game, pass game, pass protection, everything, so it's going to be really good."
That could certainly come to fruition if the Dolphins stick to the short-passing model they adopted following Tua Tagovailoa's stint on injured reserve due to a concussion last season -- especially considering Mostert's 23 vacated targets and after the team traded its 2024 receptions leader, tight end Jonnu Smith.
For now, Wright's hopes and words are just that.
Dolphins veterans report to training camp on July 22, at which point he'll look to enmesh himself in the game plan and turn optimism into action.
