The Miami Dolphins opted for continuity at working again over a serious change for a bell-cow again this offseason.
4 tailbacks from final yr’s roster have been free brokers of some sort. 4 are returning as members of the 2023 Dolphins.
Such working backs just like the Raiders’ Josh Jacobs, Giants’ Saquon Barkley and Cowboys’ Tony Pollard have been positioned on the franchise tag with their groups, in order that they have been erased as offseason choices for Miami. The Dolphins then handed on free brokers like Miles Sanders (from Philadelphia to Carolina), David Montgomery (Chicago to Detroit) and Jamaal Williams (Detroit to New Orleans).
With 4 working backs introduced again — Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr., Salvon Ahmed and Myles Gaskin — it looks as if that’s the group the group is rolling with, as a substitute of wanting right into a potential offseason commerce with the Titans for Derrick Henry or Vikings to supply a Dalvin Prepare dinner homecoming.
The Dolphins might nonetheless look so as to add a working again within the NFL draft. With larger fast must fill on Day 2, after they have a second- and third-round decide, it’s potential they only discover an under-the-radar tailback with their sixth- or seventh-round picks — or discover a gem amongst undrafted prospects.
A have a look at Miami’s returning working again depth begins with the tandem that ought to prepared the ground once more, prefer it did within the second half of 2022: Mostert and Wilson. Each have been introduced again on team-friendly offers, and each have familiarity with the wide-zone scheme relationship again to time along with coach Mike McDaniel with the 49ers.
Mostert is coming off a career-high 891 yards speeding and averaged 4.9 yards per carry in 2022. Turning 31 on Sunday and all the time carrying harm concern, McDaniel will possible need to handle his workload as soon as once more to preserve him for a full season and playoff push.
A recognized speedster at 5 foot 10, 205 kilos, Mostert additionally flashed some power-running means in his first yr in Miami. He additionally cracked 200 receiving yards for the primary time in his profession and hauled in a career-high 31 receptions, including that aspect to his sport.
The facility sport is extra of what Wilson is understood to do together with his 6-foot, 213-pound body. He too averaged 4.9 yards per carry in 2022 in time cut up between the 49ers and Dolphins — 4.7 whereas with Miami. Wilson offered a spark to the working sport as soon as he grew to become a part of the backfield duo with Mostert as a substitute of Chase Edmonds the primary half of final season. Edmonds was despatched to the Denver Broncos within the commerce for Bradley Chubb.
Earlier than reaching offers with Mostert and Wilson on the identical day, March 14, the Dolphins re-signed Salvon Ahmed as he was sure for restricted free company. Like Mostert and Wilson, Ahmed has a previous with McDaniel in San Francisco, however it was way more temporary as a member of the roster in coaching camp 2020 earlier than touchdown in Miami.
He and Gaskin have been as soon as the Dolphins’ 1-2 punch at working again, again in 2020, however now they're relegated to No. 3 and 4 tailback choices. Gaskin is coming off a season-ending shoulder process that put him on injured reserve late final season.
Each made the energetic roster in coaching camp competitors final yr, beating out free-agent signing Sony Michel. The 2 will as soon as once more need to earn their spots with some new competitors that's prone to be introduced in inside the coming months.
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