I'd love for us to sign Gerhart.

 

Lot's of solid options in that list. Tate is likely out of our price range, but he would be number 1 imo followed by Blount. I would be pleased with most of that list, except the washed up ones like Mendenhall.

 

Full service, three down back. He can catch and block as well.

 

I was completely shocked when MIN drafted Gerhart, and even more shocked that he's been content living in obscurity and being overshadowed by AP. He's absolutely good enough to be an every down back, and at the very least he would be ridiculously effective in a committee role not dominated by the best RB in the league.

But knowing the Dolphins, we'll probably sign Crazy McNutjob (Hillis) instead.

 

Wow. I feel bad for those guys, most of em probably won't get more than the vet minimum. I think FB and blocking TE are bigger needs, along with OL. If we can fix those positions I think Miller- Thomas- Gilly are good enough.

 

Thomas has been arguably the worst RB since he was drafted. Miller didn't take advantage of his opportunities and Gillislee who knows. A reliable short yardage/goal line back is needed.

 

Donald Brown fits what this team needs. We have a change of pace guy in Lamar Miller. This team needs someone that 4 us hard and breaks tackles. That someone is Donald Brown. Guy had a great year last year after the coaching staff realized treat Richardson is not the answer. And he's used to running behind average OLs.

 

These guys are going to be cheap, imo. I like Starks, and I think he'll end up with either the Giants (McAdoo) or us (JPhil). I like Donald Brown. Nice receiving skills - not sure Blount really brings much to the table there (which is partially why they went for Mike James instead). I think Moreno's rushing effectiveness was a Peyton-related, but the guy can solidify pass protection and the third down RB spot no problem. He's very versatile, but I don't know if he's a real game-changer toting it 15-20 carries on a roster that isn't Denver's. Than of course the draft has been churning out super-productive late-round guys, so you figure we'll explore that option too, even though drafting a guy hasn't worked out in a while. Also super high on drafting Niklas if we end up in that position.

 

Who says he is content? This is his first crack at free agency.

 

Well, maybe we need an upgrade at RB, but if they actually did something to FIX the OL, maybe we'd find that the combo of guys we have are adequate...

 

I simply meant that I was impressed by the fact that he's been such a "team player". Obviously that's a good trait, but his patience is impressive nonetheless. He had an amazing senior year of college, broke records, should have won the Heisman...and then he gets stranded in MIN, riding the pine while getting about 50 carries a year.

I would be delighted if we signed him.

 

I don't understand the line of reasoning about LeGarrette Blount. Truly I don't.

This is a guy that Tampa Bay sold off to the New England Patriots for a dented can of soup (RB Jeff Demps, who at the time had let the Patriots know he intends to continue to pursue his track career).

And now we're to believe that Dennis Hickey, who was Mark Dominik's top lieutenant at the time, is anxious to bring Blount back into the fold for many times the amount of money Blount was making in Tampa Bay?

Are we really to believe Mark Dominik would make a RB-for-RB trade like that if his right hand man, the guy that according to Hickey himself ran Tampa Bay's drafts and free agency, was totally against the idea?

 

Incidentally I've said this before but Donald Brown is my favorite free agent target.

But I haven't dug into Toby Gerhart's tape yet.

 

I for one would love it if Miami signed Toby 'The Great White Hope' Gerhart

 

Add one more to the discussion

Cody J. Strahm ‏@CodyJStrahm 2 h
ESPN's @ClaytonESPN mentioned Miami as a possible destination for free agent running back Darren McFadden. Would be a poor move IMO.

 

Free agency is good and all but if Philbin and Ireland woulda kept Reggie bush then this conversation is not necessary, a combo of lamar and reggie is good for any backfield, thomas is a waste of a draft pick. If any get signed i hope for blount or brown combo'd with Lamar.

biggest reason we couldnt run was the constant switch of running backs at halftime thanks Sherman!!!

 

I wonder if that's just throwing stuff on the wall to see what sticks. In other words, Darren McFadden is a possibility for Miami because Miami has a need at the position, rather than Darren McFadden being a possibility for Miami because I've heard Miami are looking at him. Big difference.

 

if he stays healthy which is a huge IF it wouldn't be too bad better than thomas!! at the right price of course

 

Reggie Bush was let go because Philbin's staff had absolutely no clue how to use him properly, so its a bit of a moot point. Philbin likes trying to shove square pegs in round holes.

 

McFadden is made of glass. A stiff breeze could put him on the IR.

 

Well he has been pretty off about Miami since he lost his Parcells connection.

 

Well we saw last year Philbin has no clue how to use ANY rb properly.

 

are 49ers going to release gore?

 

Whoa. Interesting.

Dude just seems to always be good but I understand their POV on this one. They believe Kendall Hunter is going to be awesome and every year the guy just has to sit behind Gore who continues to produce and (surprisingly) stay healthy. Good problem to have I guess, lol.

I'm not one to fall into the whole "so and so was cut, let's get him!" thing...but Frank Gore...

 

Is it just me, or does Frank Gore seem like the kind of guy who's going to be really good right up until the moment he breaks down completely? As in, he's not going to slowly decline. One day he's just going to run out of gas and break down .

 

I'd be interested in a guy like McFadden b/c he's so physically gifted. He was wildly inconsistent in Oakland but what Raider isn't? Give him a 1 or 2 year deal w/ a pile of incentives and a chance to score one last big contract before he's Michael Turner'd.

Still comes down to the OL though. Plus the FB and TE.

 

Carlo Hyde is an option as well.

 

To be fair bro, That may have had more to do with Sherman, but I understand Philbin can overrule him. I think it had mostly to do with an atrocious OL and a s----y rb group. Definitely not a complimentary group.

 

Perhaps he was simply confused.

Breaking News: Joe Philbin discovers "RB" does not stand for "Roast Beef". "It was Ireland's fault...and I'm hungry" says Philbin.

 

Ian Rappaport mentioned it to Congemi on the Finsiders show from the combine the other day, didn't have a lot of emotion behind it but put it out there as an option.

 

Maybe. I really don't know. But I know that some people (Bryant McKinnie) thought the Dolphins were really missing veteran leadership and specifically mentioned the tailbacks unit. You don't get much more of a veteran leader than Gore.

His pass blocking is also superb, by the way. He would fit right in. Lamar Miller already trains with him in the off season.

 

Far be it from me to defend Philbin and co., but there isn't a "proper" way to use Reggie Bush that will result in him being some sort of spectacular, transformative player. The guy does a couple things well that doesn't represent a comprehensive game, and is somewhat counter-intuitive. He's pretty much a guy you need to split carries with to use him effectively, and even then you're going to have some issues.

 

My biggest problem with the coaching staff with Bush was his lack of use in the passing game...to be honest I have the same problem with Lamar Miller's lack of use in the same capacity

 

I'm far from being convinced that Miller is a bust. He rarely had running room last season and they kept trying to send him around the corner, which was dumb calls to begin with when you don't have the blocking. Don't forget that with a good offensive line, anyone looks like a stud RB. I think Miller is more than capable with better play-calling and smarter blocking schemes.

 

True, but he always went down really easily. Contact and "Boom!" he's down. Not a big fan.

 

Give me Tate to go along with Miller.
Of course Blount would be even better, but I see him signing big(er) money elsewhere.

 

I'm being really, really fair to Philbin. :D

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/20...0914_1_joe-philbin-dion-jordan-ryan-tannehill

He did overrule Sherman. He said, pass pass pass. And Pass some more!

People tout Seattle's run game and Marshawn Lynch but their Oline was terrible and Lynch's average was, average. 4.2 vs Miller's 4.0. Not a huge difference. They were 2nd in the league at 31.8 carries a game, meanwhile we were 29th with 21.8. Team average, theirs 4.3, us 4.1 (Wilson helped that stat more than Tanny helped Miami's).

The team didn't commit to the run, and judging by the words back in September, that's a directive from the HC

 

This is exactly right, imo. Seattle, even with that awful line, understood that you need to continually pressure the opposing front 7. Force them to stop you over and over. You're going to hit nice run plays once in a while on persistence and will alone. It's the most effective way to get easy yards.

Watching our offense last season, every first down felt like a huge effort and nothing came easy. Gotta get ahead of downand distance by staying with the run. Make Tannehill's job easier. Would be nice if we had a guy with half of Lynch's strength and drive, man. Dude is a horse. Turbin ain't bad either. Saw someone recently posted a link of Mike James running over Earl Thomas in space...THAT is what we need. You see Tampa's bench when James lowered the shoulder? That's the stuff.

 

This is exactly what I consider the staff not using Bush the right way. They practically ignored him in the passing game, and made absolutely no attempt to put him out in the open with the ball in his hands, which is absolutely where he's most deadly. Instead they just rammed him between the tackles and dragged him off the field if he couldn't bust a 60 yard TD.

Although I have to disagree with Miller. So many times I see him catch a dump-off pass, turn around with nobody near him, panic, get happy feet, and ultimately go nowhere.