The Miami Dolphins made it fairly apparent during the 2020 offseason that while they value improving the running game, the team seems to believe that the sum of the running game is much more important than just having a viable running back to lead the charge. The Dolphins invested much more heavily into the offensive line than they did into the running back position — offering Jordan Howard a two-year contract and flipping a Day 3 pick for Matt Breida. Meanwhile, the team signed two starters on the offensive line in free agency and added two more via top-40 selections in the 2020 NFL Draft.
If we are to take the Dolphins’ actions at face value, the team believes the line is the top priority to improve the offense.
With a massive upcoming list of free agents at the running back position this winter, the Dolphins will certainly be dialed in to who hits the open market. Miami will have a salary cap figure that projects to be in the top half of the league, so they should have the opportunity to spend with some confidence and add talent to the roster once again.
But given the team’s lack of interest in investing heavily in a running back this offseason, should we even expect them to be big spenders if the opportunity arose? Or was Miami’s lack of appetite for acquiring a running back with a significant investment more a root of where the Dolphins were in the their rebuilding efforts?
There’s one clear candidate for the Dolphins to accomplish both feats — improving the running back room and avoiding overspending:
New England Patriots running back James White.
White caught 72 passes last season and has been a constant fixture in the passing game for the Patriots. Given his familiarity with Brian Flores and his status as an “older” running back (White will enter free agency at 29 years old), there may be a strong opportunity for Miami to target White to take on 3rd-down reps for the Dolphins and use his pass catching savvy out of the backfield. Miami will still have Jordan Howard under contract in 2021 — so if the team elects to let Matt Breida walk, White might be the bargain investment the team can make to pick up an accomplished, promising talent for the offensive backfield. From there, Miami can bide their time and look to extend or replace Jordan Howard as the “hammer” in the run game with a rookie when the time comes.
This allows Miami to continue to turn over and upgrade the position but do so without ever breaking the bank, assuming that’s a priority to them as 2020 seemed to indicate.