Could Studesville signing propel Miami into another run for C.J. Anderson?
The Dolphins signed former Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville to the same position this week, which has some speculating that the team could make another run at C.J. Anderson.
The Miami Dolphins have wasted no time in revamping their coaching staff since the regular season ended. Head coach Adam Gase is safe for now, but that clearly has not been the case regarding his assistants. Most of Gase’s new hires have worked with him at some point elsewhere.
So it was not surprising when Gase brought in another familiar face, Eric Studesville, to become the team’s new running backs coach. Both worked together in Denver. Studesville’s experience and reputation should immediately help create a positive impact for a Dolphins team that finished as one of the worst rushing teams in the league.
Miami finished the league 29th in rushing yards, and that’s with Kenyan Drake finishing as the league’s leading rusher in the last six weeks. Drake sure was exciting the second half of the season, but he needs help alongside him in that backfield. The hiring of Studesville could mean that the Dolphins have their eye on Broncos running back C.J. Anderson…again.
As it stands, Anderson is still under contract with the Broncos through the 2019 season. Under terms of the contract, however, the Broncos can cut Anderson without any cap hit. That would save the team $4.5 million. Denver could use that money to re-sign some of their other veteran players or to sign a quarterback in free agency. Should the Broncos in fact cut the five-year veteran, Miami would very much be in play.
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Anderson has already signed with the Dolphins once back in 2016. It looked like he was headed to South Beach until the Broncos elected to match Miami’s offer sheet at the last minute. With Studesville headed to Miami, Anderson may be interested in following.
This past season was Anderson’s first as a 1,000-yard rusher. He’s praised his running backs coach for much of his success, and he’s not the only Bronco to do so. Former back Willis McGahee admitted that Studesville was ‘one of the big reasons he signed with Denver’. Studesville has coached in the league since 1997, spending most of the time as a running backs coach. Last season, he was also the Broncos assistant head coach.
The addition of Anderson could potentially give Miami one of the better combo backfields in the league between him and Drake. While running back is not the most glaring need for the Dolphins, it’s one they need and are expected to address. Adding Anderson would quickly check that off the list.