Miami Dolphins reportedly sign free agent FB Alec Ingold
By James Reeve
The Miami Dolphins continue to add to their 2022 roster with the reported signing of free agent fullback Alec Ingold.
With a new head coach comes changes to the offensive scheme, and the Miami Dolphins appear set to utilise players out of the backfield far more often in the upcoming season.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Dolphins are set to sign former Las Vegas Raiders fullback Alec Ingold on a two-year contract – with the reported value of the contract worth up to around $7.5 million.
The contract would make Ingold the second-highest paid fullback in the league, with the position having largely fallen out of regular usage in recent years due to a significant focus on the passing game dominating the NFL.
Ingold joins a Dolphins team that should suit his skillset, being able to make catches as well as grind out short yards along the ground, with new head coach Mike McDaniel’s background as a running back coach having a notable impact on the team’s signings to date.
In 41 career games, 11 of them starts, Ingold has an 80% catch rate on his 35 targets, where he hauled in 239 receiving yards and three touchdowns through the air – adding 22 yards on the ground and picking up ten first downs on just 15 rushing attempts.
His importance as an impact player on third down can help his new team keep offensive drives alive, with Ingold’s skills seeing him make a one-yard catch that resulted in a touchdown in the Raiders’ 31-28 victory over the Dolphins in 2021.
Having an impact on short-yard situations, Ingold provides McDaniel with another offensive option and should provide starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with an additional weapon to use in the new offensive scheme expected to be implemented this off-season.
In addition, Ingold has taken many snaps on special teams, with his single-season averages increasing from 47% in his rookie campaign to 58% last year – making him another versatile player for McDaniel to work with.
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With Myles Gaskin already on board, the Miami Dolphins have now added Ingold and running back Chase Edmonds in this free agency window and should be expected to have a better balanced run game, and overall offense, when they take to the field this upcoming September.