Continuing a theme of accumulating speed on the offensive side of the ball, the Dolphins inked former San Francisco running back Raheem Mostert to a one-year, $3.125 million contract.
The pluses: Reuniting with new Miami coach Mike McDaniel was heavily predicted for Mostert headed into free agency, as Mostert was an ideal fit for the zone blocking scheme McDaniel employed in San Francisco. Averaging a staggering 5.7 yards per carry in his career, Mostert put it all together in 2019, tallying 772 yards and eight touchdowns in helping the 49ers reach the Super Bowl. The highlight came in the NFC Championship Game that year, when he torched the Packers for 220 yards and four touchdowns in one of the most memorable postseason performance in the history of the league. In 2020, the back had the top two fastest ball career runs in the NFL, clocking in at 23.09 miles per hour on an 80-yard touchdown run and 22.73 miles per hour on a 76-yard touchdown catch.
The negatives: The biggest question mark here -- and the reason Mostert drew little attention in free agency -- is health. At 5-10, 205 pounds, he was limited to a single game last year due to a knee injury, and he only played eight games in 2020. Though he was timed at 4.32 seconds in the 40-yard dash, at 29 years old, how much of that speed has been compromised by age and injury? With 36 career catches, Mostert is also not seen as a receiving threat out of the backfield, though Miami may seek to create more opportunities for him in that area of the game.
The bottom line: The quickness with which the 'Fins landed Chase Edmonds is likely an indication that McDaniel is going to favor a backfield committee -- an approach that could maximize Mostert's effectiveness and shield him from injury. A Florida native who had a short stint with Miami in 2015, Mostert returns on a very affordable contract, giving him an opportunity to boost his stock for future years while limiting the Dolphins's risk. In an ideal scenario, Mostert regains his health and emerges as a chunk-yardage threat in an attacking Miami offense, pairing with Edmonds and following Alec Ingold into second-level bursts. On the flip side, if Mostert never finds his stride due to the accumulation of injuries, the 'Fins will lean more heavily on Edmonds, Myles Gaskin, and perhaps a rookie, then move on from Mostert following the season. Either way, the chance to bring in a dynamic threat with scheme familiarity like Mostert at such a low price was a no-brainer move for McDaniel & Co.
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