The Miami Dolphins finished last season with a rushing attack that ranked 26th in the league. Since there are only 32 teams, this was pretty dismal. With a quarterback on the brink of a make-or-break season, the Dolphins needed to upgrade the ground game desperately in 2014. They signed Knowshon Moreno to be the new lead back, but so far they are not getting the results the team was hoping for.
Moreno comes to Miami after putting a career-high season with the Denver Broncos as their lead running back. He put up 1,038 yards and 10 touchdowns on 241 carries altogether. Those would be welcomed numbers to the Dolphins who saw the tandem of Miller and Daniel Thomas fail miserably. However, as team workouts get underway, Moreno is the one struggling.
According to the Miami Herald, the Dolphins opened OTAs with Miller as the starting running back and Moreno as the backup. This is the second knock to Moreno since he signed a one-year contract with the team. Reporters first noted that the running back reported to facilities out of shape and looking "thicker" than normal and not running well to begin his tenure with the team. Now, head coach Joe Philbin is praising Miller and excited over his improvement.
He's had a very good camp. ...This is the time as a third-year player that you're ready to make a big contribution," Philbin said, via ESPN.com.
The Herald is reporting that it appears Miller is the better fit in offensive coordinator Bill Lazor's offense while Moreno still struggles with his fitness. This leaves the Dolphins at a bit of a loss simply because it was supposed to be Moreno starting and Miller being the fill in. The third-year back has had a so-so start to his NFL career after being drafted in 2012. However he is healthy and young and could easily take the starting spot from Moreno.
The Dolphins cannot rely on Miller to remain consistent and could look towards a trade. The Herald notes that if the Dolphins are going to make any more offseason moves, it would likely be at the running back position in hopes of giving Tannehill a steady rotation to rely on. They could make a move for LaMichael James if he is not released or they could attempt to pry Mark Ingram away from the New Orleans Saints. With uncertainty regarding Mike Wallace lingering, the team could get creative in a trade.
