Do Dolphins fans want Arian Foster in Miami?
Arian Foster is scheduled to meet and workout for Miami on Monday. The visit will be Foster’s second with the Dolphins this off-season. The Dolphins could use some veteran experience in their backfield, but do Dolphins fans want to see Foster wind up in Miami?
Arian Foster is, once again, linked to the Miami Dolphins and is scheduled to workout for the team on Monday. Foster is also expected to workout for the Detroit Lions later in the week. The meeting with the Dolphins, however, is Foster’s second with the team, and could be a sign of the two sides agreeing to a deal.
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The Dolphins have clearly shown the most interest in Foster since he was cut by the Houston Texans in March. Foster met with the Dolphins in late March, but he did not workout for the team as he was still rehabbing from a torn Achilles that kept him sidelined the last half of the season. When healthy, Foster was a force to be reckoned with in Houston but injuries have derailed his career, causing concern among Dolphins fans about a possible signing.
Miami lacks a veteran leader in their backfield and could really benefit from the experience of having one. Daniel Thomas and Isaiah Pead don’t count since both are long shots to make the Dolphins final 53-man roster. While Foster has the experience the Dolphins may be seeking, his injury history is a cause for concern. It’s those injuries that has a lot of Dolphins fans believing that Miami should pass on the former Texan.
As great as Foster is, he’s a liability at all times. He hasn’t completed a full season since 2012. His torn Achilles injury last season resulted from a non-contact play late in a game against Miami. Some questioned as to why Foster was even in there when Miami clearly had the game in hand, but it showed how injury-prone Foster has become. Dolphins fans have seen this before, most recently with Knowshon Moreno.
Fans were hyped after the Dolphins signed Moreno to a deal in 2014. Moreno had just rushed for over 1,000 yards for the first time in his career in his final season with the Denver Broncos. He had torn his ACL back in 2011, but Moreno’s career year in 2013 made it look as though he was over any knee concerns. Moreno was superior in his first game with the Dolphins, rushing for 134 yards on 24 carries against the Patriots.
The following week, however, Moreno suffered a dislocated elbow against Buffalo. Moreno managed to return a few weeks later, only to again suffer from a torn ACL in his return. He was quickly placed on IR and has not played a down in the NFL since.
Dolphins fans don’t want to experience a similar fate if the team does decide to sign Foster. Should the Dolphins remain patient, there are options the team could explore to add to their backfield. Teams will continue to make roster cuts once training camp begins and into the preseason. The Dolphins could very well benefit from signing a veteran back from another team.
Second-year man Jay Ajayi will be the Dolphins lead back, regardless, if they sign an additional veteran or not, unless otherwise noted. Rookie Kenyan Drake is expected to be the primary backup, but he too has an injury history, even hurting his leg the same day of his contract signing. Case in point, the Dolphins could really use the veteran insurance.
Some may believe that if a player was cut by another team, then that player simply isn’t good enough, and that the Dolphins shouldn’t even bother. That’s simply not true though. Often times, teams are deep at a position, but have to cut valuable players in order to make room for other positions. A good example would be the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs have four talented running backs currently on their roster. Chances are, however, not all four will make the final cut since four running backs is normally a lot to have on a team. Knile Davis will likely be the odd man out in Kansas City. Miami has been linked to Davis the past few months as a possible trade destination. If the Dolphins are still interested in Davis they could simply wait it out until he’s cut.
Even if the Chiefs elect to keep all of their backs and the Dolphins don’t like what’s available to them on the open market, odds are Foster will still be available. So what do you think the Dolphins should do? Go ahead and sign Foster to a deal? Wait for a guy like Davis or another veteran to suddenly become available? Or do nothing? Let us know.