Miami Dolphins need for running backs not a high priority
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins have needs everywhere up and down their roster and running back is no exception but it may not be the priority fans think it is.
Visit a social media platform and you will see that when it comes to the Miami Dolphins draft needs, a focus has been put on running back but in reality, the Dolphins could skip the position in the draft and be just fine.
To be clear, the Dolphins won’t skip running back in the draft. With 14 selections they can find a spot for one drafted player at the position, even in the first three rounds. What they don’t need to do is spend a high draft pick on one as some believe they should.
This is not to say that Kalen Ballage is the answer, he isn’t. Even when he found a running lane he didn’t have the impact we all expected. Unlike other positions, RB is relatively easy to pick up. It’s why so many rookies have solid first years. The gaps don’t change in a playbook, it’s the blocking assignments and passing game routes that change. Other than that, it’s hit the gap.
Ballage had a horrible 2019 and not all of it can be blamed on the offensive line. His yards per carry was 1.8 and he averaged 11 yards per game. This is not only unacceptable but it brings the question if any other player could have done better. The thing is, they didn’t.
Of course, Patrick Laird only posted a 2.7 YPC and Myles Gaskin posted a 3.8. If we are to believe that the offensive line was that bad then we should also believe that the 5 plus YPC Ballage had in 2018 was what he could really bring to the game.
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Tossing 2019 out of the window makes sense. It was a horrible year all around and Ballage did himself no favors. That being said, drafting a running back is not going to make the Dolphins offense run better. That will happen when the offensive line is playing better.
With so many other needs on the team, the Dolphins can wait to use a high draft pick on an RB in 2021. The Dolphins need offensive line help and defensive help from the front line to the secondary. You don’t fix those by over drafting a running back and while this year’s top running prospects are good, they are not considered elite type running backs like Ezekiel Elliot and Saquon Barkley. They are just really good backs. And good backs behind a really good offensive line can be great. Ask the Chiefs and Damien Williams.