The Miami Dolphins signed Knowshon Moreno with the hope that he could give them a dominant run game that has been lacking in recent years. Moreno was coming off a career-high season with the Denver Broncos despite their pass-first approach and the Dolphins brought him on with a one-year deal in hopes he could repeat the success. However, early reports on the running back are not positive and a recent injury could force Miami to make another move.
According to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, Moreno is suffering for a medical issue to his left knee, not the knee he suffered an torn ACL to in 2011. Moreno's knee issue is not very clear, but Rapoport is reporting that it is due to a lack of avtivity and has been bothering him for most of spring practice. It may require arthroscopic surgery. The running back plans on visiting doctors in Miami to confirm whether he will in fact have to undergo surgery or not.
The knee issue is just another bullet point on the curious case of Moreno with the Dolphins. It was assumed the running back would take over the starting role upon his arrival in South Beach, but instead he is taking a backseat to Lamar Miller. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that Moreno reported to organized team activities out of shape and struggling to grasp the new offensive system. On the other hand, Miller showed up ready to play and compete and is now the No. 1 back over Moreno.
The Dolphins offense needs a run game. If quarterback Ryan Tannehill is going to make the jump to elite status, he needs a successful ground game to balance things out. If Moreno is injured and struggling, the Dolphins might be forced to make a deal. The team has been linked to LaMichael James of the San Francisco 49ers and could attempt to orchestrate a trade for the running. Mark Ingram might also be available at the right price. On the free agent market there is a lot to be desired, but Felix Jones is still hanging around and he might be a solid veteran option.
The Dolphins could look to trade a wide receiver in favor of getting one more running back. According to the Miami Herald, the team has looked into deals involving both Brian Hartline and Brandon Gibson considering their less than friendly contracts. With Mike Wallace expected to return improved and Jarvis Landry in as the hot rookie, parting with one wide receiver in order to get a stabilized ground game could be worth it in the long run.
