The unfortunate reality of the grueling NFL calendar is the piling up of injuries as the season progresses. Teams must be ready to respond immediately when the injury bug inevitably hits them, similar to what the Dallas Cowboys did on Tuesday, by signing Parris Campbell during CeeDee Lamb’s absence. This means that there will be a new wave of transactions from here on out every week as players get ruled out for extended periods.
That is what the Miami Dolphins are facing at the moment. Despite finally getting in the win column on Monday Night Football, they weren’t able to fully celebrate as Tyreek Hill was carted off with a gruesome injury. He was subsequently ruled out for the season, forcing the Dolphins to find a replacement right away.
For the replacement, the Dolphins turned to a familiar face, not only for their own fans, but also for Cowboys fans. NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday that Miami was signing veteran wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. off the Saints practice squad.
Former Cowboys WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. Signs with Dolphins
This provides Wilson a chance to revive his career, which hasn’t gone according to plan since his Cowboys days. After he was drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, not many had high expectations for Wilson. Things took a turn for the worse when he suffered a shoulder injury in training camp that kept him out for his entire rookie campaign.
In his second season in Dallas, he failed to make the final roster and was only brought back to the practice squad. Upon Tavon Austin’s injury, however, Wilson was signed to the active roster and never gave up his spot in the rotation.
He quickly turned into an important part of both the return game and the passing game. His 2021 season remains the high-water mark of his career. He had 45 catches, 602 yards, and six touchdowns, which earned him a three-year, $22.8 million deal from the Dolphins.
His Miami tenure was more of a disappointment, as he quickly fell behind the newly acquired Tyreek Hill in the pecking order. With Jaylen Waddle’s emergence, Wilson was made redundant in Mike McDaniel’s offense, leading to his eventual departure in the 2024 offseason.
This is a full-circle moment for Wilson. After being let go in favor of Hill, he is now returning to fill in for him. The best days for the soon-to-be 30-year-old are likely behind him, but he will get his chances behind Waddle, Malik Washington, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Whether he will take over some return duties again remains to be seen, but perhaps that could be one area he could contribute to for this struggling Dolphins team.
Cowboys fans will not see Wilson back in action against them this season, but they will be wishing the memorable draft steal the best for the rest of his career.
