Cedrick Wilson, Kroft offer behind-the-scenes look at NFL business with Dolphin decisions

Before turning their attention to the Los Angeles Chargers, two Dolphins veterans offered something of a behind the scenes look at the business aspect of the NFL, and it how it impacted them in recent days.

For Cedrick Wilson Jr., the decision between a Dolphins pay cut and late August free agency was a no-brainer, even with no significant playing time guaranteed here.

For Tyler Kroft, a “gentleman’s agreement” landed him back in Miami after a “weird 24 hour period.”

In Wilson’s case, the Dolphins decided to keep him instead of Robbie Chosen but asked for what was essentially a $2 million rebate. Wilson was due to make $7 million this season, $5 million of which was already guaranteed.

Miami asked him to play this season for $5 million, instead of $7 million, with an additional $2 million-plus incentives.

So Wilson had two choices: Leave the Dolphins and take $5 million with him, or play for the Dolphins and make $5 million, with a chance to earn more with incentives.

He chose to stay.

“I like it here,” he said. “I like the offense, my teammates, coaches. There was no point in going anywhere else this late in the process, learning a new playbook and going somewhere else unless I was forced to do it.

“I want to be where I’m wanted. When I did the offseason last year, Miami was one of the teams that wanted me most. It came to a decision of where I wanted to be and where I wanted my family to be. As long as they want me, I’m happy to be here.”

Wilson said Miami never framed the contract restructure as an ultimatum.

“Talking to my agent, it didn’t seem like it was a forced thing. They wanted me here and I want to be here. If the restructure was what was best for the team, I’m always for that. As long as I get to play the game, that’s all I’ll ever do.”

The Dolphins were open to trading him this offseason, but Wilson has said he never asked for a trade, and the Dolphins never indicated anything was close.

General manager Chris Grier said in the spring that he wanted to “do right” by Wilson after his playing time last season was much less than anybody expected.

So did Grier do right by him? “He’s doing right by me because we’re standing in the Miami locker room talking,” Wilson said. “I feel he’s doing great by me.”

When the Dolphins signed Wilson early in 2022 free agency, the thinking was that he would be Miami’s No. 2 receiver behind Jaylen Waddle. But the Dolphins traded for Tyreek Hill 10 days later, and Wilson fell down the depth chart, behind Hill, Waddle and Trent Sherfield for most of the season.

He played just 237 offensive snaps last season, after playing 528 for Dallas in 2021. His receptions and yards dropped from 45 for 602 with the Cowboys in 2021 to 12 receptions for 136 yards in his first year as a Dolphin.

“I had a couple injuries last year,” he said. “Rib was the biggest one that lingered the longest.”

He also said it took time to adjust to “a whole new scheme of offense, to the West Coast offense.”

He’s now in competition with Braxton Berrios, Erik Ezukanma and River Cracraft for playing time behind Hill and Waddle.

“I think I did pretty good” in training camp and preseason, he said. “I caught mostly everything thrown my way. That’s the biggest asset I bring to the table, catching the ball.”

In Kroft’s case, the Dolphins told the veteran tight end and his agent that the team wanted to release him with the intent of re-signing him 24 hours later. That move - also executed with cornerback Parry Nickerson - allowed Miami to put Jalen Ramsey and Robert Jones on the initial 53-man roster on Tuesday, which was necessary to maintain their eligibility to return at some point this season.

After setting the roster, Miami moved Ramsey and Jones to IR on Wednesday and re-signed Kroft and Nickerson, who agreed to practice on Tuesday after being told they would be cut immediately after practice.

“It was pretty much a gentleman’s agreement,” Kroft said. “You don’t sign anywhere. We won’t sign anyone. It was an opportunity to get two of the guys on IR.”

Unlike younger players, Kroft and Nickerson couldn’t be claimed off waivers by another team. If anyone had tried to sign them, they could have declined.

“Since I was a veteran player, I wouldn’t hit waivers so a team wouldn’t be able to claim me,” Kroft said. “It’s a weird, funny rule, a weird 24 hour period, but we knew I would be coming back.”

He’s not sure if any team called, but he and his agent agreed that he would decline and say “I’m good to go” with Miami. “We didn’t entertain anything.”

The 6-6 Kroft could begin the season as Miami’s No. 2 tight end behind Durham Smythe. Undrafted rookie Julian Hill is the other tight end on the 53-man roster, and he has been dealing with an injury.

“I always pride myself on being a three-down guy,” Kroft said of his ability to play on running or passing downs.

It helped Kroft that he has played in a very similar offensive system with the 49ers last season. He has 105 receptions for 1,081 yards and 13 touchdowns in nine seasons with Cincinnati, Buffalo, the Jets and 49ers.

“This is my third year in this offense,” he said. “That set me up for success.”

Kroft figures to be the Dolphins’ best red zone threat at tight end in part because of his size (6-6). That threat is needed in the wake of Mike Gesicki’s departure to New England this season.

Dolphins tight ends coach John Embree and the staff have “shown tape and concepts of how they would try to get Mike open in the passing game in the past,” Kroft said. “More of these are the concepts we’ve attacked teams with. This is how our offense is going to evolve.”

And if some of the Gesicki plays are run for Kroft, “that would be awesome,” Kroft said. “Whatever role they give me, I will be happy.”

When the Dolphins use two tight end sets, they’ll have two proven, reliable players in Smythe and Kroft.

“Durham does a great job as a three down guy as well,” Kroft said. “When he and I are in there, I feel you genuinely don’t know if it’s a run or a pass. If one of us is going to be in protection, it definitely gives defenses more to worry about.

“Say if Mike [Gesicki] was in the game last year, you would cater toward the passing play. Both of us do a good job being a three down guy.”