Chase Edmonds will be a force of nature out of the backfield

The Miami Dolphins concluded their second joint practice with the Tamps Bay Buccaneers yesterday and there are a ton of things that can be said about how the Dolphins did. It’s only the second time the team saw another color so it’s sort of dumb to be hyperbolic about anything with there being so much that needs to happen to really make a firm and intelligent take. That being said, based on what I’ve seen and read so far, I’m planting my flag on the hill that Chase Edmonds will be a force of nature hitherto undreamt of.

If you want to say that I’m being a fanboy or that I need to be careful because I may overdose on optimism about this team, that’s fine. Like I’ve said in other articles, I’m fully prepared to have my heart broken once again by the Miami Dolphins. But man alive, I like the cut of this team’s jib.

I especially like the prospect of Chase Edmonds being a wrecking machine, catching passes out of the backfield. Since camp started, it has been reported by Travis Wingfield, David Furones, and other Dolphins beat writers that Chase Edmonds has been sleek and elusive on handoffs. But they’ve also said that he is catching everything thrown to him and that he is being counted on to do a lot of damage using his hands.

Here is a clip of Chase Edmonds running the virtually unstoppable angle route for a TD in yesterday’s practice.

We know from Chase Edmonds’s time in Arizona that he is no stranger to catching the ball. Edmonds had 43 receptions in 12 games last year.

I think, not just because I expect him to play more games than last year, Chase Edmonds is going to have a ton of catches. I think Mike McDaniel is obviously going to expect teams to sit back in zone coverage and try not to get beat by Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. This is going to leave plenty of soft spots in the zone underneath for Edmonds to navigate and catch simple dump-off passes from Tua and use his speed to get upfield a lot. I also get all tingly thinking about the types of slow screens that will come Edmonds’s way. Those are my sneaky favorite plays.

The name of the game for the Miami Dolphins this year is speed. They aren’t big overall and they aren’t going to often run you over unless Tua has a full head of steam. But they are going to try and turn every game into a track meet and they will run many teams out of the building.

Chase Edmonds is equipped to do that as well especially when every team is going to be looking to try their best not to let Hill and Waddle burn them. It leaves a ton of opportunity for Edmonds to snap linebackers’ ankles into pieces. I’m here for it.

The biggest thing for Chase Edmonds is to stay healthy. I realize expecting a starting running back not to get injured is a fool’s game. But if Chase can stay healthy I see no reason why he can’t put up the best numbers of his career.

Remember, Chase Edmonds was the first running back signed in free agency. That means that McDaniel specifically wanted him which means he has big plans for him. I really can’t wait to see what he can do with all the opportunities he’s going to get.

Follow me @2ndSatSports