The Miami Dolphins crashed and burned at the end of last year, but there was still reason for optimism heading into the 2025 NFL season. The team re-signed a handful of its important pieces and added some solid players both through the draft and free agency.
Unfortunately, the reports from training camp and the preseason have not been exactly what Dolphins fans wanted to hear. Both preseason performances and joint practices have been lackluster, and several key players are dealing with injuries.
At the running back position, in particular, Miami is decimated by ailments. Free-agent signing Alexander Mattison was the first domino to fall, as it was announced that he will miss the season with a neck injury, and last week, De'Von Achane was sidelined with an aggravated calf.
Jaylen Wright's injury could shake up Dolphins' RB depth chart
While both of these injuries are disappointing, they provided an avenue for Jaylen Wright, a second-year running back from Tennessee, to finally live up to the hype he has garnered in his Dolphins career thus far.
On Thursday, however, NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe reported that Wright went down with an injury during joint practices with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was able to walk off the field, slowly, but had to go into the medical tent for further evaluation.
This is especially disappointing because Wright has largely squandered his opportunities to separate himself in Miami's first two preseason games. On 13 carries this preaseason, he has mustered just 16 yards and caught no passes or made an impact on special teams.
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To make matters worse, rookie Ollie Gordon II, who was initially just a flyer taken by the Dolphins in this year's draft, is now gaining momentum. His emergence, in conjunction with Wright's struggles and eventual injury, has now turned the running back competition upside down in Miami.
Gordon, in two preseason games, has run the ball 18 times for 83 yards and a touchdown while also catching three passes for 48 yards. The extent of Wright's injury is unknown, but it might not be crazy to think that he could be demoted to third-string upon his return.
Wolfe reported that Gordon was taking most of the team's running back reps in Thursday's practice with Wright out, so it seems like he is next in line for a major role. Hopefully, Wright can return from injury with a vengeance, but if not, the Dolphins have a solid insurance policy in place with Gordon.