When the Miami Dolphins drafted wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in the 1st-round of the 2021 NFL draft, it seemed like a heavy blow to the hopes of veteran wide receiver Albert Wilson to make the team. After all, Wilson was out of sight and out of mind in 2020 after having opted out of the season due to concerns with COVID-19. Wilson was well within his rights to do so, but the team certainly missed his services all the same; and as a result brought about an influx in new receiving talent.
Lynn Bowden Jr. was added at the start of the 2020 season. The Dolphins then in free agency added Robert Foster and Will Fuller to the mix before drafting Waddle. Hard times ahead for Wilson — or so you’d think.
But reports out of OTAs and minicamp seem to indicate that Wilson is capable of filling out an important role in the wide receiver room. And if that does indeed materialize, seeing how Wilson will mesh with Waddle instead of being replaced by him will be a fascinating subplot to a crowded receivers room.
How does Wilson see it? He’s chomping at the bit.
“Man, I’m excited to see (Waddle) go to work. Like you said, I see myself in him; so anything I can do to help him get going right now, I’m here for him,” said Wilson on Wednesday afternoon.
“And then to see somebody that can work the slot just as well as me on the other side of the ball, and we’re all just going at it; it will be a lot of fun.”
One thing that is for certain about this Dolphins wide receiver room is that they won’t hurt for speed. After a more lethargic group took most of the snaps in 2020, the Dolphins are nearly one-tenth of a second faster on average in their 11-personnel grouping this season based on early forecasts for the starting role. And with that much added stress on opposing secondaries, there should be no shortage of room to run and space to create plays. Few have done that better than a healthy Wilson (or a healthy Waddle).
It sounds like a lot of fun to us, too.