The Running Man

Taking a break from my usual idle chatter regarding the lockout, don’t worry, I’m sure I will have something again later today, I wanted to take a moment and revisit the running game that the Miami Dolphins may or may not have lined up for this season.  Word out of Miami, and it’s all nothing more than talk, is that Ronnie Brown is open to the idea of returning to the team and serving as a “mentor” to rookie Daniel Thomas.

I like Ronnie Brown but I’m not sure that is the smart thing to do unless he realizes that he simply won’t make the same kind of money as he would in say, Indy.

The Dolphins are set on revamping, tweaking, whatever you want to call it, their “Wild Cat” package.  New OC Brian Daboll ran a version in Cleveland and Daniel Thomas ran a version at K. State.  Mike Pouncey even ran some of the formation as well in college as did new TE/FB Charles Clay.  See a common thread here?  If the Dolphins are going to hang their season and in reality the careers of Jeff Ireland and Tony Sparano on that formation then re-signing Ronnie Brown makes perfect sense as he is well versed in the Miami version of the system.

Brown is a good guy.  I have spoken with him on two occasions and he is very happy to be a part of the Miami community and would genuinely like to stay with the team.  It’s not the typical “right thing to say” rhetoric that say a Steve Smith in Carolina doles out to the media.  Brown has been in the league long enough to know the teams division opponents and their idiosyncrasies.  He knows the coaching styles of Sparano, the offensive line, and more importantly Chad Henne, assuming that the team doesn’t outright replace him.

The truth is Brown will never be that Pro-Bowl runner that they thought they were drafting second overall 6 years ago.  His one year of stardom came on the shoulders of a WC surprise that took the NFL by storm until Baltimore figured it out in the playoffs.  The fact that the Phins are planning on running it again only serves as a notice that Browns’ time in Miami shouldn’t be summarily discounted as over.  With the lockout, sorry didn’t intentionally mean to go there, not likely to end anytime soon, it will be harder for the team to find a street free agent to replace Brown.  Ricky Williams‘ age and his history with the team, specifically his vocal tirade following the end of the season, likely makes Williams a departed soul.  For all the “favorite” talk of Patrick Cobbs, it’s unlikely that he will be around following the free agent period as well.

Brown makes sense but only at the right price.  He won’t tote the rock like he has over the last few years and it should also be noted that there have been times over the last two seasons where Brown almost lost his starting job for good.  So a back-up role is probably better suited to him at this stage of his career.  At least if he stays in Miami.