Miami Dolphins: LaMichael James turning heads
By Sean Denison
Sometimes in life, you get the opportunity to redeem yourself. Sometimes, after falling down, a person picks you up and decides to gives you another chance because they see your potential. More often than not, you don’t want to let that person down. No, you catch your breath, wipe the sweat from your brow, ignore the pain from scrapes and burns, and determine not to let yourself, or the person that gave you another chance, down. Such is the case for Miami Dolphins running back LaMichael James.
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After a dismal three-year career in the NFL thus far, the Miami Dolphins gave James another shot, signing him to a one-year, $680,000 deal in the offseason. Since the start of the 2015 training camp, LaMichael James, not starter Lamar Miller, has been catching all the attention from the coaches, fans in attendance, and the multiple media outlets covering South Florida’s cherished franchise.
James has been quick, decisive, and has been breaking the ankles of defenders trying to wrap him up. Omar Kelly from the Sun Sentinel reported how excited offensive coordinator Bill Lazor was about James and what he can bring to the table. “I’m really happy with how LaMichael is competing right now. I think he came into camp with a great attitude. He plays fast in the run game and the pass game, which is really impressive,” Lazor said. “I can’t wait to watch him in the preseason. He’s the kind of back that fits this offense. When he came here, we knew he’d have a chance to be the type of guy who makes plays in space.”
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Standing only 5’9, what James lacks in size he makes up in confidence. “I bring a lot of mismatches out here especially 1-on-1 with a linebacker, 1-on-1 with a safety,” James said via Adam Abramson of the Palm Beach Post. “I feel like I just bring a different element, a different aspect of the game.”
Coming from the Philadelphia Eagles—sharing the sideline with offensive guru Chip Kelly—Lazor knows all about exciting skill players. In fact, James excelled in a similar offense with Chip Kelly at Oregon, which in return made James a 2010 Heisman trophy finalist in 2010. The correlation is evident. If James’s run at having a successful training camp carries into having an equally impressive preseason, there’s no doubt Lazor will find him a spot on this offense. If he does, Dolphins fans can get used to seeing someone take the load off of Lamar Miller, providing excitement and versatility to a fan base and new stadium.