Miami Dolphins free agency 2020: Top 5 targets

Last season saw the Dolphins deal running back Kenyan Drake to the Arizona Cardinals before the trade deadline. While Drake looks to be the future in the Arizona backfield, it might be advantageous for the Dolphins to either draft a running late in the first round this spring or look to sign an underrated playmaker in the backfield in free agency. Austin Ekeler certainly fits that bill.

While the Los Angeles Chargers have the available cap space to bring Ekeler back on a second contract with roughly $56.4 million in the bank, they have another more proven running back to look at in free agency this offseason in Melvin Gordon. Sure, you’d get better value out of Ekeler than Gordon, but it’s hard to see both Chargers running backs returning to Los Angeles in 2020.

For that reason, Miami may want to swoop in and get the best value back on the market this spring. Because Ekeler went undrafted out of Western Colorado, he has never made anything close to big money in his first three years in the NFL. Add in Florida not having a state income tax and Ekeler’s dollar could go even further. At 25 years old, you’d be getting him right in his prime.

Gordon might be a candidate for the franchise tag, but there is no way the Chargers will pay Ekeler upwards of $10.4 million on a one-year deal to keep him in town. If the Dolphins want to put together a competitive, multi-year deal for Ekeler, then he can become a Pro Bowler in his Miami offense in the early 2020s.