Knowshon Moreno (27) during a press conference for Super Bowl XLVIII at Hyatt Regency. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
The Miami Dolphins running game was pretty much non-existent last season, but that had more to do with the terrible blocking up front as opposed to a lack of talent at the running back position. I’ve never thought of Daniel Thomas as anything more than a mediocre RB2, but Lamar Miller has all the talent to be a true feature back in this league. Unfortunately, he didn’t receive any push up front last season, so his numbers look terrible even when he actually ran decently well in his first year as a starter.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Dolphins have signed former Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno to a one-year deal, and it will be interesting to see how he splits carries with Miller in the Dolphins backfield. It seemed like Jeff Ireland was always higher on Miller than Mike Sherman, but both are gone and now it’s all up to Dennis Hickey and Joe Philbin. Hickey decided to add a solid back to the mix, so we’ll see how big of a role Miller plays next season; hopefully the Dolphins haven’t given up on the Miami Hurricanes product.
Moreno looked like a first-round bust, but the Georgia product broke out last season. Part of that is thanks to a great offensive line, part of that is thanks to a great passing attack, but part of that is thanks to his own ability. A solid back overall, Moreno is a workhorse who can make a strong impact as a pass blocker and pass-catcher, and that’s exactly what the Dolphins needed. I still see Miller as a starter, but the Dolphins needed someone better to pair up with him and got their man by signing a steady veteran to what should be a cheap contract.