Miami Dolphins: 5 offseason needs in 2020

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FOXBOROUGH, MA – DECEMBER 29: Patrick Laird #42 of the Miami Dolphins runs with the ball during a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

2. Bolster the running back position

It’s almost hard to believe that a team could be as inept when it comes to the ground game as the Dolphins were in 2019. The club gained just 1,156 yards rushing in 16 games. That figure was topped by six players this past season, including Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson (1,206).

Brian Flores’ club failed to run for at least 100 yards in all but three contests. And the club’s leading rusher was veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick with 243 yards – just 23 yards more than San Francisco running back Raheem Mostert (220) managed in the NFC title game win over the Packers.

The Dolphins went through their share of players out of the backfield and be it due to injury (Kalen Ballage and Myles Gaskin), trade (Kenyan Drake to the Arizona Cardinals) or off-the-field issues (Mark Walton), this was quite the depleted area. Fitzpatrick and Walton were the only two players to run for at least 200 yards and the latter led the ‘Fins with four rushing touchdowns – followed by Ballage (3).

Regardless, this is a team in dire need of a reliable runner to make life easier for whoever plays quarterback. Could the ‘Fins try to make a splash in free agency (Melvin Gordon, Carlos Hyde, etc.) when it comes to fortifying the backfield? Or do the answers come in April’s draft?

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