The Miami Dolphins signed veteran running back Frank Gore this offseason and, while he may still have some left in the tank, he’s a trap for the offense.
Frank Gore is a rarity in the NFL. While we see players defy Father Time over the years (Tom Brady, James Harrison and so on), it’s incredibly rare that we see a player do that at running back. After turning 35 years old in May, the veteran back will take his next stop in his career as he suits up for the Miami Dolphins.
Last season with the Colts as a 34-year old player, Gore played in all 16 games (the seventh-straight season that he’s been able to accomplish that) and managed 961 yards on 261 carries with three touchdowns. Additionally, the veteran caught 29 passes for 245 yards and another touchdown.
Now in training camp with the Dolphins, he’s impressing everyone in Miami with more than still being upright after 13 seasons playing running back in the NFL. His teammates and head coach Adam Gase have all been complimentary of him throughout the offseason. The latest in what has been several instances of this is Gase saying, per the Miami Herald, that the running back looks like he did 10 years ago.
Again, it’s fine to marvel at what Gore is capable of at this age while entering his 14th year in the league. However, it’s also critical for Gase and the Dolphins to not fall too much in love with him.
Admittedly, it appears that Gore is undoubtedly going to be the backup to Kenyan Drake in the 2018 season. That’s good, but it needs to stay that way. No matter how impressive Gore is in training camp and even in the regular season, Miami needs to keep their eyes on the future, not on a newcomer that is a shining picture of the past.
Not only should Gore not eat into Drake’s work this season, he should truthfully see his work diminish as the year goes on. The Dolphins selected Kalen Ballage in the fourth round of the 2018 draft and, while he shouldn’t be a featured player in the offense right away, he’s a talented player that should be worked into the rotation moving forward.
The point is, Gore is an impressive veteran that can still bang between the tackles — and it’s that alone that makes him impressive. The Dolphins, though, must avoid the trap that he presents, falling too in love with his experience and demeanor rather than being smart. Relying on Drake and Ballage as much as possible is the smart move for Miami, not buying too much into a 35-year old running back.