MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — If the Miami Dolphins get calls on wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline, Chris Grier should not only pick up, but think hard about moving him — even if the price isn’t to their liking.
Wilson is the No. 4 receiver on a team that plays (at most) three, and is way too talented and making way too much money to be the team’s designated fair catcher.
Will the Miami Dolphins Trade Cedrick Wilson Jr.?
Wilson, who at $5.9 million has the team’s ninth-highest cap figure in 2022, was on the field for all of four offensive and six special-teams plays in the team’s Week 7 win over the Steelers.
That means he earned nearly $35,000 per snap on Sunday.
And his year average isn’t much better. He’s participated in less than one-fifth of the Dolphins’ offensive snaps this year, and Sunday’s six special-teams snaps were his first of the season.
The Dolphins had him return punts Sunday, but really his No. 1 (and likely only) priority was to secure the ball. Wilson called fair catch four times and had one return for one yard.
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“It was fun,” Wilson said. “Actually getting out there, trying to keep the ball from being backed up, I felt like it was a good field position game last week. The focus I gave to the team last week was trying to catch the ball and not let it roll all over the place.”
While that’s an important job, no doubt, there’s no chance it was the role either Wilson or the Dolphins envisioned when he signed a three-year, $22 million contract in March.
Of course, that was before the Dolphins had even an inkling that Tyreek Hill was on the trade market. Acquiring Cheetah was a no-brainer. But it also meant a lot fewer reps (and targets) for everyone else.
But that’s not the most alarming part of Wilson’s usage. This is: He’s the No. 4 behind not just Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but also Trent Sherfield — who’s earning a fraction of what Wilson is. Sherfield has gotten roughly three times more snaps and targets than Wilson has had this year.
Mike McDaniel Weighs in on Cedrick Wilson
Still, when asked Wednesday if there was something Wilson needs to do better, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said no.
“He’s progressing in the offense,” McDaniel said. “There was also a portion of the season that he got a little dinged up with his ribs that he was playing through, and we were kind of limited in his usage there. But given circumstances with – it’s less about what he hasn’t done.
“He’s getting better and better every week, and he’ll continue to become more and more featured within our offense. But it’s not about what he hasn’t done and more about what a guy like Trent Sherfield has done. Those are things that you don’t go into a season — that’s why I don’t magnetize and stare at depth charts, because that’s a very fluid thing.
“When you’re asking players to sacrifice all that they sacrifice and when they’re putting themselves on the line, they have to know that it’s not only appreciated, but the bottom line will be whatever is on the tape that given week will get more opportunities to be on tape because those guys are going to get the most opportunities.
“So he’ll continue to progress in his role. I’m comfortable with where he’s at in working on his game and should expect to see more from him. I’m expecting that, and I think he’s expecting that as the season progresses.”
Does Wilson see it the same way?
Hard to say. When we asked him about McDaniel’s comments Wednesday, and where he’s made strides in recent weeks, Wilson responded:
“Um … I don’t really have anything to say towards that question.”
Wilson did add: “I’m available whenever my number is called. Whenever we want to do, as long as we’re doing it as one unit, I feel like we’ll be good.”
Will Wilson Be Traded Ahead of the Deadline?
If the salary cap didn’t exist and the Dolphins weren’t down to the felt at cornerback, the smart play would probably be to just carry Wilson through the season, keeping him as a depth piece in case one of the three receivers ahead of him gets hurt.
But we don’t live in that reality. The Dolphins are projected to have roughly $11 million in salary cap space in 2023. Trading Wilson early next week would free up an additional $7.1 million (between this year and next).
While Wilson’s contract does have $7 million fully guaranteed in 2023, it’s the going rate for a No. 2/3 receiver. That financial commitment might be a risk worth taking for a team that believes it’s a wide receiver away from competing.
Plus, with just $2.1 million in remaining salary (assuming he’s traded early next week), Wilson would fit financially on most every team in 2022.
In an ideal world, Miami would get a No. 3 corner or safety in return. But if Grier is offered even a Day 3 pick to get out from underneath that contract, he should jump at the opportunity.