5 players Miami Dolphins should target in free agency
By Brian Miller
Matt Forte – Chicago Bears
If the Dolphins re-sign Lamar Miller there will be no need for a running back. If they do not re-sign Miller there will be a very big need for a running back. Adam Gase has vowed to run the ball more in Miami and initial rumors out of Davie, Fl. is that the Dolphins want to retain Miller but the price has to be right. It’s believed that Miller will seek a deal that will pay him around $5 million a season. Miami can’t afford to spend that on a running back.
Forte has been a brilliant runner in Chicago but age is catching up with him. Adam Gase knows him well. He knows his health status and he knows his work ethic. He is a perfect fit for the Dolphins offense under Gase. Forte’s days of seeing big contracts are over and he knows that so Miami will present an opportunity to remain in the league and while the Dolphins may not offer a lot to lure him there, the no state taxes will be motivation for Forte who will get more money out of Miami than he would in a state that is going to take a lot of it for themselves.
Forte still has tread on his wheels and if nothing else it gives Miami a solid one-two with Jay Ajayi until Ajayi can prove he can be the full-time workhorse.
Wrapping it up
Obviously the Dolphins do not have the cap space to make all of these moves but a combination of one or two of them and other lower free agents could turn this team around in a short period of time. Miami has talent but the coaching hasn’t been there and the schemes didn’t fit the players. That should change under Gase. The most important thing for Chris Grier and Mike Tannenbaum is to find the players that fit in with Gase’s strategy on offense and Vance Josephs’ scheme on defense.
Linebacker is a huge need for the Dolphins and they should concentrate there first with guard being their next target. If Miami can add a safety as well it would be a bonus and would allow them to address the defensive line and cornerback positions in the draft. Ideally they will add a corner in free agency but they need to do a better job than they did last year when they went the cheap route and added Zac Bowman and Bobby McCain.