Who Will Be The Dolphins Slot Receiver in 2023?

The Miami Dolphins made a potential franchise-altering trade last year when they traded for Tyreek Hill. Pairing Hill with the likes of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle who had himself a very promising rookie season at the time, seemed like a match made in heaven for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The results on the field further proved the worth of that pairing; Tua had himself a breakout campaign putting up career-high numbers, Jaylen Waddle took another step in his development, and Tyreek Hill had arguably the best season of his NFL career. It’s safe to say that Miami has found the perfect pair of receivers for Tua. Both the WR1 and WR2 spots appear to be locked up for years to come; the same can not be said about the slot receiver position.

During the 2022 season, the Miami Dolphins got great production out of wide receiver Trent Sherfield. Sherfield posted solid numbers and was the clear-cut #3 receiver for Miami, ending the season with any Dolphin wide receiver’s 3rd highest snap count. The problem is that Trent Sherfield was not re-signed this off-season; he actually ended up signing with the division rival Buffalo Bills. This leaves a bit of a void at the slot receiver position; the good news is that Miami has multiple options already under contract that can potentially step up and claim the job.

Cedrick Wilson, who was signed to a 3-year $22M deal a year ago, could get the first crack at the job. He was brought in the same off-season. Mike McDaniel became Head Coach, and Wilson was paid as if he’d be the 3rd starter next to Waddle and Hill. Unfortunately for Miami, Wilson failed to live up to expectations in year one, wasn’t very productive, and lost a significant chunk of his touches to other receivers on the roster last year. That being said, it’s important to note that he was paid for that reason. Wilson was impressive for the Dallas Cowboys a year before joining Miami; he replaced an injured Michael Gallup in Dallas’ lineup midway through that season and posted career numbers in that role. I don’t think it’d be fair to dismiss him going forward completely; it’s entirely possible that his 2nd year in the McDaniel system could see him become more comfortable in the offense and return to form. However, recent reports have indicated that the team may be looking to trade Wilson, so it’s anybody’s guess what his future with the team will hold.