Miami Dolphins' RB Jaylen Wright adds muscle, trims fat
MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright seemed trim and fit as a rookie.
But he felt he could be better.
"Working hard in offseason, working on my body," Wright said during organized team activities. "I probably added about probably six pounds. I lost a lot of body fat. I gained a lot of muscle. That's why it might look like I'm a little bigger."
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Consider that Wright has covered a 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds at 210 pounds.
That's a pretty unique combination of size and speed.
For Wright, the pathway to more touches in his second season is actually more mental than physical. There were lessons learned as a fourth-round rookie from Tennessee.
"I just learned just the league," Wright said. "I mean, just getting the speed of the game, just controlling, you know, controlling what I can control out there on the field, you know, just making the best of my opportunities. I mean, I learned a lot from the guys in front of me."
Jaylen Wright poised for Year 2 Miami Dolphins breakout
Wright cited Raheem Mostert, De'Von Achane and Jeff Wilson as influencers.
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Wright had 68 carries on the season, but only nine over the last five weeks of the season.
"When we had exit meetings, I was talking to Jaylen Wright about being able to non-verbally communicate to me his hunger for an increased role," Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. "I see better than I hear, and four OTAs in, I can see him following through with that."
Oct 6, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright (25) runs the ball during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
Most talented rookie running backs struggle more with executing assignments consistently than any other areas of growth.
With Mostert in Las Vegas and Wilson not re-signed, the opportunity for more is present in 2025.
With that in mind, Wright had an interesting perspective on thoughts he'd provide to rookie Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II.
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"Oh, it's a process," Wright said. "Just as a rookie, it's not going to come when you want it to come. I mean, it may. It's just a process, you know, just staying patient. It's a long season. I mean, I'm speaking for what I've experienced. It's a long season, and, you know, take care of your body, you know, because you never know when the opportunity is going to come."
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Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins Jaylen Wright reveals rookie lesson learned
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