The 2022 free agency period is off and running, and already it’s become abundantly clear that coach Mike McDaniel has a plan. That plan? Run. Sure, that objective was never a secret. After all, it was McDaniel’s run schemes and creativity that helped him ascend into one of the brightest offensive minds in the NFL. Yet, it was clear the Dolphins would have a lot of work to do fitting McDaniel’s style of offense.

One position that felt inevitable was bringing in a fullback. Heck, why not two? McDaniel had barely finalized his coaching staff before bringing on former Packers fullback John Lovett back in February. Lovett may soon become an afterthought as yesterday the Dolphins landed veteran fullback Alec Ingold. Ingold, one of the more prominent fullback names on the market, played every game of his first two seasons with the Raiders before an ACL tear midway through 2021 would halt his final season in Las Vegas. Though Ingold is expected to be ready for training camp, Lovett provides insurance for a newly coveted position that only DT Christian Wilkins lined up in last season. Famously, McDaniel’s offense relies heavily on the usage of fullbacks. Most notably, 49ers pro-bowler Kyle Juszczyk proved to be an essential presence in McDaniel’s schemes not only as a blocker but also as a receiver.

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Moving on to the ball carriers, GM Chris Grier wasted no time getting his new head coach a running back. Chase Edmonds became the first free-agent running back off the board Monday, agreeing to a two-year deal worth a little north of 12 million dollars. A dual-threat running back, Edmonds was primarily used as a backup in his four seasons in Arizona. While backing David Johnson, Edmonds got minimal run as a lead back as he only managed 60 rush attempts in each of his first two seasons. His usage and production increased the following season, splitting carries with James Connor and former Dolphin Kenyan Drake. However, it wasn’t until 2021, Edmond’s fourth full season, where he showed his full capability finishing the year with 903 yards from scrimmage while only starting 11 games. Most impressively, Edmonds has a career rushing avg of 4.7 yards per carry, but it’s the experience he brings to Miami and an ideal skill-set for running the football in a Mike McDaniel offense.

Last season the Dolphins relied heavily on the run-pass-option, and McDaniel has been clear from the very beginning that getting the most out of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa would be one of his main objectives. Edmonds is no stranger to an RPO-style offense after lining up next to Kyler Murray for the past two seasons. He’s seemingly a perfect fit for a similar offense we all expect to see executed by Tagovailoa.

Edmonds brings a rap sheet of nagging injuries that have plagued him, most recently a high ankle sprain that landed him on IR during the 2021 season. However, the rewards highly outweigh the risks regarding Edmonds’ ability to run the football in zone concepts.

Arizona inked James Connor to a three-year deal on Tuesday, paving the way for Chase Edmonds to join a crowded Miami backfield, who only became more crowded Wednesday evening with the signing of Raheem Mostert.

The Dolphins signed the former 49ers running back to a one-year deal worth just over 3 million and immediately became my favorite signing. (Though to be fair, I loved the Matt Brenda trade too) Regardless, Mostert is widely known as one of the fastest tailbacks in the league, which will immediately come in handy with Mike McDaniel’s zone-blocking scheme. With the speed and vision he possesses, along with his ability to find the right angles, he becomes a threat to score from anywhere on the field. Mostert, who has 11 career rushing touchdowns, brings an imposing 5.7 yards per carry average and an impressive 10 yards per reception average to a backfield which was among the league’s worst last season. Mostert’s pass-catching abilities and knack for getting open in the flat gives Tua yet another toy to tinker with this offseason.

Like Chase Edmonds, Mostert also comes with injury risks as he only eclipsed 20 yards on two carries before his 2021 season came to a quick halt with a severe knee injury.

These moves won’t move the needle nationally and may even leave some local pundits with an uninspired perspective with more to be desired. Please make no mistake, I’m not planning a parade either, but it’s showing me that Mike McDaniel knows how to form fit an offense around a limited quarterback. Don’t get me wrong; I’m a “Tua guy.” I have been from day one. But even I can admit he has his limitations. I’m excited to see what he can do under a coach who finally has his back and knows how to unlock his strengths.

The Dolphins have gotten off to a good start this spring, addressing one of their most significant weaknesses of the 2021 season. Of course, this means nothing until they address their other main weakness; the Hoss’s upfront. I’m confident Chris, Mike, and the rest of the Dolphins brass have a plan in place to do just so and look forward to the upcoming process.

@Shoeba on Twitter