Miami Dolphins sensible to delay Matt Breida contract talks

Not extending running back Matt Breida now is a smart Miami Dolphins move.

The Miami Dolphins acquired running back Matt Breida in a trade this offseason, but have reportedly not held any extension talks just yet.

Matt Breida was sent to the Miami Dolphins during the course of the 2020 NFL Draft, seeing a fifth-round pick sent to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange.

Undrafted out of Georgia Southern, Breida has been a reliable yardage eater over his first three seasons in the league, averaging five yards per carry.

While he hasn’t been utilized much as a starter, his best year (2018) came when he started 13 of 15 regular-season games he featured in, with over 800 rushing yards and three touchdowns along the ground.

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Expected to split time with free agent signing Jordan Howard, Breida has an opportunity to become a key performer under head coach Brian Flores.

The Dolphins had a terrible running game in 2019, led by 37-year-old quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, and their 2020 campaign should see things improve dramatically.

Having a strong running game alongside an effective passing system is a necessity to succeed in today’s NFL, and Breida could certainly contribute to this for a number of years, but it appears that the current state of the world economy has certainly given the Dolphins pause for thought.

Per CBS Sports, Matt Breida and the Miami Dolphins have not held any discussions over a possible extension beyond the 2020 campaign, with the 25-year-old set to become an unrestricted free agent after this year, one that will pay him $3.259 million.

Holding off on talks could be a double-edged sword for the Dolphins, with Breida having the potential to have an explosive season and earn a significant payday, but also guards against the possibility that things don’t pan out before the team locks themselves into any financial agreements.

Taking this cautious approach is sensible, despite the potential for Bredia to perform well during the 2020 season as it is currently unpredictable how the league’s salary cap will go due to the huge impact the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic is having on sports leagues across North America.

If things drop, tightening the space the team can operate beyond the 2020 season, then having two running backs earning a combined cap hit of $10 million may be too much to manage, impacting other roster decisions negatively.

Allowing the team time to assess what they have in Breida, and to get a clearer idea of the financial landscape, is something that should be praised, even if it ultimately means they could lose a talented running back in the long-run.