Another Career Year Coming for Wilson?
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After posting career-high numbers last season with the Dallas Cowboys, Cedrick Wilson Jr. saw signing with the Miami Dolphins as a chance to get even more play-making opportunities.
Wilson joined the Dolphins after catching 45 passes for 602 yards and six touchdowns in 2021, more than double the combined totals for his first two seasons in the NFL.
“My whole NFL career has been pretty much up and down,” Wilson said. “I didn’t really envision myself anywhere besides playing in the NFL. I didn’t really think about certain teams. I’m happy to be here. I love the facilities and hopefully an opportunity for me awaits.”
Since Wilson was signed early in the offseason, Miami traded for star wide receiver Tyreek Hill, adding him to a room that already included Jaylen Waddle, who broke the NFL's rookie reception record last season.
Waddle and Hill’s speed and ability to create big plays down the field have largely overshadowed Wilson this offseason, but Wilson knows there is an advantage to Waddle and Hill demanding the attention of opposing defenses all the time.
“The defense is looking at them the whole time, so usually I get one-on-one,” Wilson said. “That’s my job to win.”
Wilson is capable of creating explosive plays even when the defense knows he’s a threat too. Doug Farrar of USA Today's Touchdown Wire named Wilson to his All-Underrated offense team this offseason, citing his ability to win mismatches against talented safeties like Minnesota’s Harrison Smith.
Wilson Likes the Slot
A lot of those one-on-one mismatch opportunities likely will come from the slot, somewhere Wilson is very comfortable playing. He took just more than 90 percent of his snaps from the slot last season.
Wilson likes lining up from the slot because when quarterbacks are trying to get the ball out of their hand quickly, they typically target the slot.
Wilson also feels like Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel’s scheme does a good job getting him into space with the ball in his hands.
“I feel like it opens up the field with Coach being able to call the plays that he knows are going to work,” Wilson said. “He for sure knows who should get the ball, when the coverage shows it, and when I know the ball is coming to me, that’s always a good sign.”
Although Wilson is a polished slot receiver, he believes he’s versatile enough to help Miami at other spots.
RELATED: Why Wilson Won't Be the Dolphins' "Best-Kept" Secret For Long
One of the reasons Wilson thinks he can play outside effectively is because of his height. He’s listed at 6-2 on the Dolphins roster, tying him with rookie fourth-round pick Erik Ezukanma for the third-tallest amongst Miami’s receivers.
Cody Core and Preston Williams are the only ones taller than Wilson and both of them sit behind Wilson on the depth chart.
“Besides the two fast guys, I feel like I’m one of the taller ones,” Wilson said when asked what made him different from Miami’s other receivers. “I feel like that’s probably the biggest aspect of it.”
Wilson's Learning Curve
Wilson’s role in Miami’s offense and overall fit isn’t difficult to project, but Wilson still has to learn a new offense and adapt to learning from McDaniel.
Wilson said that process is going well as the main focus in the receiver room is making sure the group is running the right routes — not on winning the orange jersey for the practice player of the day.
“I would say it’s been a pretty smooth process,” Wilson said. “I feel like they help us learn the playbook as much as they can without baby-stepping us through it. They give you the concepts, the teaching concepts, and it’s on you to go home and learn them.”
As for working with McDaniel, Wilson believes he and McDaniel think similarly because they are both young. That reminded him of his relationship with Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who also is a younger coach.
“Definitely with Coach, he’s definitely a good guy to work with,” Wilson said. “His energy provides itself and with the rest of the team, it’s a group of good guys that love to work and when you come to work with guys like that, it’s easy.”
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You can follow Dante Collinelli on Twitter at @dantecollinelli.
