Miami Dolphins running back situation heading towards free agency
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins need to upgrade their running back situation and the NFL Draft in April should provide some help but Miami may not be able to wait and risk not having a secured starter for 2021.
Chandler Cox is gone, released prior to the end of the season and Matt Brieda is an impending free agent. The Dolphins’ current roster includes Salvon Ahmed, Patrick Laird, and last year’s primary starter Myles Gaskin. It also includes DeAndre Washington who Miami traded for and Malcolm Perry who is can play both wide receiver and running back.
The Dolphins depth is o.k. but not having a top featured runner is a problem and while Gaskin is good at times, he is not a featured back nor is Ahmed but both are quality players that thrive in situational football. Miami needs a running back who defenses have to plan for, Gaskin and Ahmed are not those players.
We all assume that Miami wants to upgrade the position but we have no idea what Chris Grier and Brian Flores really want out of the position or if they view Gaskin and Ahmed as good enough. If we work off the premise that they genuinely feel a need to upgrade, free agency makes more sense because there is less guesswork.
The top running back in Green Bay’s Aaron Jones who has had a fantastic season and is likely going to hit the market. The problem is he will be expensive. If the Dolphins want to save some money, they will look to the draft but there are no guarantees that they get the guy they want. While that move would come a lot cheaper and potentially the same level of talent as Jones or better, it is a risk and the Dolphins have to be prepared to enter 2021 with Gaskin and Ahmed as the primary runners if they are unable to draft the running back they want.
The future of Laird and Washington is uncertain but Brieda is expected to hit the open market after a lackluster 2020. The Dolphins spent draft picks on both Brieda and Washington and neither worked out for Miami last season.