Another Draft where we miss out on a proven Running Back. How do we address this need?

Build a great OL and then its plug and play.

 

Yeah, so we need a Center you say? Miami has, so far, managed to get worse on paper.

 

Yeah, I don’t love this draft and really wanted Humphrey. Hopefully we can salvage and get Meinerz

 

I feel like we are looking at the grizzled old vets at this point...

 

How many established running backs are in the league?

 

we plan on having the same emergency room rb squad who all proved they couldnt handle more than 3 games each before getting hurt

 

I mean, if you look at the Patriot model in the last few years under Brady, it's definitely been a RBBC model with low picks and UDFA types. Rex Burkhead, James White, etc.

Still, we simply cannot have as futile a running game this year as the past two and expect our offense to be significantly better.

 

We started three rookie linemen last year...and all three are road-graders. But it takes a little bit of time in the NFL since the focus is pass blocking and protecting the QB. Now we've added a 4th mean, nasty lineman to the mix that loves to get out there and hit people...and the run game is going to come.

I won't lie, I think we would have drafted Williams if we weren't leap-frogged. I also desperately wanted Harris or Etienne. But I don't think we need those types of elite backs to have a solid running game. From the very first time I played line as a high school freshman, we were taught that the first three yards a RB travels was our stats. If we do our job and create a hole, that 3 yards is a given with anyone carrying the ball. The RB's talent really kicks in at the 4th yard climbing that 2nd level and finding daylight.

Just so you know, most backs in this draft have speed, vision and hands. There's always a few elite names and then you have many others who are a dime a dozen. We don't NEED an elite back to have a good rushing game...we simply need a very good run-blocking line. And I think that will come together this season.

 

Im extremely sad and frustrated about it too. The coaching staff and front office just don't seem to care. I've basically given up hope, unfortunately. Its depressing, and its going to be hard for me to get very excited about this upcoming season.

 

um.... with the exception of last year bc of injury, the norm for NE is 1 RB gets majority of the touches, and then the other 2 have 50-100...... you have to go back 10 years to find their RBBC......

sony michel 1st round btw............. 900 yards 900 yards, injury year.

 

Michael Carter, Rhamondre Stevenson, Khalil Herbert are probably the best of what’s left

 

Cool! Wait... does a great OL include having a Center???

 

If they draft a big back that can get us those third and three or less yds? I'll be okay with the Miami run game for 2021. I still want them to draft a guy in 2022, but we need to get better at short yardage.

 

I like Chuba Hubbard and Jermar Jefferson... but admittedly they aren’t well rounded backs. And didn’t test the greatest. But they run the ball well and tape says they are tough to tackle , that is the goal.

As for Veterans. Duke Johnson (27) and Le’Veon Bell (29) are still kicking around. We were in on Bell last year.

 

Then you want Stevenson; he’s a big dude (250)

 

I was disappointed we didn’t pick a center too. I really wanted Meinerz

 

In this day and age of quarterback quarterback quarterback, the importance of the running game has been overlooked by the vast majority of the teams in the league. Teams like Pittsburgh and Tennessee get it. Until teams realize you have to be able to run the ball and be able to play smash mouth, in your face football, too many teams are going to continue pursuing the pixie dust dreams of getting in the playoffs by default and going home with their tails between their legs

 

Pittsburgh messed up with the Harris pick. They really needed a lineman.

 

None of these backs in this draft outside of the first three selected are really worth spending a mid round pick on. We can get a guy in the 7th round. Larry Roundtree, Kenny Gainwell, Kylin Hill. There are some names out there that will be clearly be available in the 6th/7th round.
I think Gaskin proved to be a solid back for us last year and the plan is to probably ride him again this year along with Ahmed and Brown. Our run game will be sustainable as long as the offensive line holds up. I still say we continue to take the best players available regardless of position or need. The draft is about acquiring talent. I'm with the OP on this though. It would be nice to have a Ricky Williams in the backfield with Tua, but not even Harris, Etienne, or Williams were near the level that a Ricky Williams is/was.
There was no Saquan Barkley or Ezekiell Elliott in this draft and even as talented as they are, we all saw how they struggled running behind crappy offensive lines. I think once our offensive line is solidified and considered a "strength", THEN we can pursue a top tier franchise level running back.
The current trend has been RBBC. Tampa, KC, New England, Philly....The last four Super Bowl winners have all won that way using that approach. The common trait those teams all share is franchise level play out of their QB's, and dominant defenses. Yeah yeah, Nick Foles isn't a franchise QB, but he was on a hot streak when he won it for the Eagles.

 

I’m excited to see what Gaskin and Ahmed can do with an OL that doesn’t completely suck. The addition of Fluker plus Eichenberg plus our young’s developing, I’m expecting/hoping to see this become a strength of our team.

 

I heard pre-draft that Pitt was 100% locked on Harris. Maybe there was more value but they got the guy they wanted- kudos to them!

 

me too, miserable going into next season with the same rbs that got us to ten wins last season!

makes total sense.

 

Last year was a six win team that had a lot of things break right for them. You can't count on that happening, and even if it did, for me its a lot less satisfying than a team that actually goes out and earns those wins through consistent disciplined offense.

 

I just think we have a head coach that these guys will go to war for. After seeing him charge the Bengals sideline after two cheap shots on Grant, that’s all I need to see to know.

I think our young talent starts catching up with the coaching at some point and we start fielding play off teams.

 

I like Flores. I think he'll make the defense very good. But I have extreme concerns on the offensive side, and that's what I care about the most. I worry the we're going to try to get by with big, explosive plays rather than co trolling the clock and gaining a lot of first downs. And that gives me heartburn. Constant stress.

 

I hear you man. I don’t need to regurgitate my disdain for choosing Tua over Herbert or moving back and missing out on Pitts/Chase anymore. All I know is we’ve got a young offense, a young offensive line and a young QB. I’m hopeful that if our OL can make strides, we’ll see major improvement in our run game which will feed our passing game. And then to Flos point, the 2 new speedy additions to WR will open up everything.

 

I'm from the Pittsburgh area and am basically a Dolphins fan in the body of a Steelers fan, if that makes sense. The difference is that my dad doesn't like sports, so I made my own choice at a young age. But I really wish that the Steelers were the franchise that the Fins were trying to emulate, rather than the Patriots.

 

Well....We drafted a running back. I think we need to cool it for now and see what this cast can do going into next season. I like the Doaks kid we drafted. I think we can get a few good years out of Gaskin. Ahmed played well in spurts, and we have Malcolm Brown who I suspect will be competing with Doaks for a roster spot. Laird is still in the mix as well. I am not completely crushed about this, I think we have a decent cast at the position. It's a work in progress.

 

So the guy that took snaps in 50% of our wins bailed the Dolphins out 80% of the time. How did that work again?

 

A dynamic pass offense will open up the running game no matter who is back there.

 

Now you know what I said, and that wasn’t it. You can be negative if you want and say we won 10 games in spite of our running game, but the point is last yrs team won 10 games and we will be better this yr. Even with the same running backs.

 

We're doing what we need to do. We're building a strong OL and putting players on the edges that will keep defenses in dime coverage for most of the game. Although we didn't grab a "name" RB, we're setting our offense up so Gaskin and Co. can at least make plays beyond the LOS. Don't get me wrong, I'd be beyond ecstatic had we taken Harris, Williams, Carter or Sermon. But there's opportunity cost to everything and I'm glad for what it proved to be.