Wright the Right Fit for 'Fastest Show on Turf'

New Miami Dolphins wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. marveled on social media about the team's speed on offense
Running back Jaylen Wright during the 2024 NFL combine
Running back Jaylen Wright during the 2024 NFL combine / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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Odell Beckham Jr. has been a member of the Miami Dolphins for a very short time, but he already has given the offense a new moniker.

The speedy veteran wide receiver took to the platform formerly known as Twitter and stated that he cannot believe that he is a member of “the fastest show on turf.”

The name is not to be confused with the "Greatest Show on Turf," the name given to the St. Louis Rams on their way to the Super Bowl title in the 1999 season.

That Rams offense was similar to the offense that Miami runs today.

Both offenses relied on team speed and the ability to go vertical down the field. Both teams also featured a speedy running back, although Miami now has three speedsters in its backfield.

The Rams had Pro Football Hall of Famers like Kurt Warner at quarterback, Marshall Faulk at running back and Isaac Bruce at wide receiver. The team was also complemented with receivers like All-Pro Torry Holt and Az-Zahir Hakim.

SPEED EVERYWHERE ON DOLPHINS OFFENSE

Miami's offense features speedster everywhere, with wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and running backs Raheem Mostert, De'Von Achane and now rookie fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright.

Hill and Achane had the third- and fourth-fastest speeds on plays from scrimmage during the 2023 season, according to NextGen Stats. Hill had four of the top 20 recorded speeds in the NFL on plays last season, Achane had three, and no other player in the league had more than one. Mostert checked in at number 10 with his 21.62 MPH measured during his long touchdown run against the New England Patriots in the Week 2 Sunday night game.

Hill topped the 22 MPH mark at 22.01 on a 64-yard reception against the New York Giants in Week 5, while Achane reached 21.93 MPH on his 67-yard touchdown run against the Denver Broncos in the home opener in Week 3.

Waddle, who has eclipsed the 1,000-yard plateau in each of his first three seasons, did not make the top 20 in MPH last season but had the sixth-fastest play in 2022.

Wright, meanwhile, had the second-fastest 40-yard dash time among running backs at the 2024 combine at 4.38 seconds. And even with that speed, that still makes him only the sixth-fastest player on the Dolphins offense based on the 40.

“At the end of the day, I know I am fast, but there are some extremely fast guys here. I mean really, really, fast,” Wright said at rookie minicamp Friday. “That’s props to them for running a really fast 40. But I know what I ran and running that at my size isn’t easy. I know I’m fast too.”

Wright knows he’s fast and he feels like he is right where he belongs and in an offense that he can succeed in.

“Being here with all of these guys, star players, players that I grew up watching, It just means a lot, just to be mentioned in the factor of having speed, that just means a lot to me," Wright said. "I’m just blessed to be here, and I’m excited for what’s coming to me. I know I’m fast, but we got a lot of elite guys here that are really fast."

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Scott Salomon
SCOTT SALOMON

Scott Salomon joined Sports Illustrated in April 2024 covering breaking news and analysis for the Miami Dolphins channel. In June he joined Inside the Heat and Back in the Day NBA. Scott is based in South Florida and has been covering the local and national sports scene for 35 years. Scott has covered and has been credentialed for the Super Bowl, the NFL Combine, various Orange Bowls and college football championship games. Scott was also credentialed for the NBA All-Star game and covered the Miami Heat during their first six seasons for USA TODAY. Scott is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Communication and the St. Thomas University School of Law. Scott has two sons and his hobbies include watching sports on television and binge watching shows on various streaming services.