Dolphins' Jaylen Wright makes feelings known on stepping into shoes of Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson

The Miami Dolphins' running back room is going through a transition, and second-year rusher Jaylen Wright is confidently taking on a leadership role.

Two veterans who mentored Wright during his rookie season, Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr., are no longer with the team. Now that they're gone, Wright feels compelled to fill the void.

Wright reflected on the shift in his responsibilities.

"I mean, those guys are really good guys to me, especially Jeff," Wright said on Wednesdaym via "Good Morning Football." And I looked up to him, he showed me the way.

"You know, just not having them just makes me step up more into a leader role in the running back room, on the team. So, you know, just meeting, playing my cards right. You know, just me stepping up. You know, when I need to step up on and off the field."

Wright’s rookie campaign was a tale of potential marred by inconsistency. The Dolphins moved up in the 2024 draft to pick him in the fourth round. A promising start gave way to a disappointing second half of the season.

Jaylen Wright addresses disappointing rookie performance and offseason preparation

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Jaylen Wright averaged 5.0 yards per carry through the first seven weeks, showing quickness, agility and vision in limited action. However, the momentum didn’t last.

Over the remainder of the season, his production waned, and his touches dwindled. By year’s end, he had yet to find the end zone and closed out the campaign with a forgettable performance against the Jets.

"Things happen," Wright said in June, via the Miami Herald. "Control what I can control. Don't want to speak too much on last year because that's in the past but I just want to be ready for my opportunity.

Still, there were glimpses. In Week 5, after a mid-game injury to De’Von Achane, Wright came alive, notching 86 yards on 13 carries in a win over New England.

This offseason, Wright has turned the page, physically and mentally. He added muscle mass in preparation for the increased physical toll, and teammates have reportedly noticed a shift in his demeanor. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has, too.

Speaking after OTA sessions in June, McDaniel praised Wright and pointed to what he saw.

"When we had exit meetings, I was talking to Jaylen Wright about being able to nonverbally communicate to me his hunger for an increased role," McDaniel said. "I see better than I hear, and four OTAs in, I can see him following through with that."

Wright isn’t alone in Miami’s retooled backfield. He’ll compete alongside Achane, free-agent addition Alexander Mattison and promising rookie Ollie Gordon II.