The Miami Dolphins were active in the free agent market this offseason, especially when it came to the running back position. With many mouths to feed on offense, however, someone was going to find themselves on the outside looking in.
On Monday, the Dolphins announced they had released running backs Sony Michel, Gerrid Doaks and ZaQuandre White. Michel is the most notable name Miami is dropping, and he signed with the Dolphins in May after a one-year stint with the Los Angeles Rams. Last season, Michel rushed for 845 yards and four touchdowns in 17 games played with seven starts. In the Rams' Super Bowl LVI win, he rushed two times for two yards.
Michel was originally selected by the New England Patriots with the second-to-last pick of the first round in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Georgia. He recorded at least 981 yards from scrimmage in each of his first two NFL seasons, and had an impressive postseason stretch in his rookie year that helped the Patriots beat the Rams in Super Bowl LIII. He rushed for 129 yards and three touchdowns in New England's first postseason matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, 113 yards and two touchdowns in the AFC Championship game vs. the Kansas City Chiefs and 94 yards and the lone touchdown of Super Bowl LIII.
Just 27-years-old, Michel will likely catch on with another team. He rushed for 15 yards and one touchdown in Miami's final preseason matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. With Michel gone, the Dolphins' running back room is led by two newcomers in Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert, and Myles Gaskin. First-year head coach Mike McDaniel made his name known as the run-game coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, so these backs may play an important role in Miami's new offense.