Wilson Should Return After Missing Four Games

While the Dolphins remain vague about Jeff Wilson's possible return from IR, his agent projects the tailback will be cleared after a month on IR

The Miami Dolphins will be forced to play the first month of the season without tailback Jeff Wilson Jr., who was expected to share the backfield with Raheem Mostert.

But it doesn't look like the sixth-year veteran, who was surprisingly placed on injured reserve last week because of a midsection injury and finger issue he's been nursing for weeks, will be sidelined longer than the four week's he's required to sit out as a player  on the initial 53-man roster placed on injured reserve to start the 2023 season.

"I expect Robert Jones to miss anywhere from four to six weeks with the sprained MCL. I don't expect Jeff is going to be out beyond the four weeks," said agent Drew Rosenhaus, who represents both Dolphins players. 

Jones, who was a contender for the starting left guard spot before the injury he suffered in Miami's 28-3 preseason victory against the Houston Texans, initially was given a 4-to 6-week rehabilitation timetable. His leg was placed in a removable hard cast the past two weeks, but he's been walking around without the cast lately.

When Will Wilson Possible Return?

Wilson, who gained 392 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns on 84 carries with Miami after he was acquired in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers last season, was expected to serve as Miami's physical insider runner this season. 

"I believe Jeff will be ready to go as soon as the four games are over," Rosenhaus told WSVN's Sport Xtra show Sunday night. "I expect him to be ready to jump right back into the lineup, maybe in the fifth game."

Game 5 is the Oct. 8 home game against the New York Giants, which follows a Oct. 1 road game against the Buffalo Bills.

To get removed from injured reserve and placed back on the 53-man roster, Wilson would need to prove to Miami's coaches that he's past his injuries, can protect the football, which was a major concern because of his hand injury, and has kept himself in good shape. He'll have that week's prep work to do so.

Wilson's potential replacements

Wilson's absence opens the door for Salvon Ahmed and rookies De'Von Achane and Chris Brooks to elevate their status with the offense, filling in as the complementary players to Mostert, who is viewed as Miami's lead tailback.

Ahmed had a phenomenal preseason — gaining 142 rushing yards on 16 carries and catching six passes for 43 yards and a touchdown — until suffering a neck or head injury in Miami's 31-18 preseason loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars last weekend.

He began practicing this week and hopes to be cleared to participate in Sunday's season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Achane, a former Texas A&M standout the Dolphins selected in the third round, and Brooks, a BYU product who made the 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie free agent, each bring a unique skill set to the backfield.

Achane has elite-level speed that terrifies linebackers and threaten secondaries, especially when lining up as a third-down back or a pseudo-receiver flexing out of the backfield.

Brooks, who is 6-1, 223 pounds, has a downhill running style that typically wears down defenses. His physicality could benefit the Dolphins in short-yardage situations, which were an issue last year.

During the preseason, Brooks gained 104 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns on 22 carries. He also caught three passes for 39 yards and caught a touchdown pass, which made him the preseason's leading scorer for Miami.

Because of Ahmed and Brooks' productivity, the Dolphins averaged 165.7 rushing yards in the preseason and 5.65 yards per carry. That ranks Miami third-best in the NFL, and is 53.7 yards more than the preseason average for all 32 teams.

Achane was limited to 52 yards on 16 carries because of a shoulder injury he suffered in Miami's preseason win over the Houston Texans. He's spent the previous two weeks nursing the injury, but was cleared for contact work this week, testing out whether his injured shoulder can handle the physicality of the NFL.

Wilson’s return will give the Dolphins, barring another injury, five tailbacks on the 53-man roster. That’s an unusually high number, so it’s possible the Dolphins would cut one of the other four, most likely Brooks.