WEBVTT - 2022 Review: Running Backs 0:00:01.600 --> 0:00:05.160 You were listening to the Miami Dolphins Podcast Network. This 0:00:05.360 --> 0:00:08.399 is Drive Time with Travis Wheenfield. Back to throw to 0:00:08.560 --> 0:00:16.239 a looking alta wine open touchtop cleric call unbelievable, just 0:00:16.440 --> 0:00:19.239 fluw bire for a second time. Don't know where he 0:00:19.320 --> 0:00:22.360 was going right away? Ahead of that the man I 0:00:22.400 --> 0:00:24.439 want to help you soon up on his way and 0:00:24.760 --> 0:00:28.720 wattle waddle to a shotgun. Back to throw, looking steps 0:00:28.800 --> 0:00:34.840 up firestop again it's waddle. It's six touchdown past the day. 0:00:35.920 --> 0:00:40.519 Drive Time with Travis Winfield begins. Now let me check 0:00:40.560 --> 0:00:46.360 your pulse. I f what is up? Dolph fans and 0:00:46.560 --> 0:00:49.600 welcome to the Drive Time Podcast, part of the Miami 0:00:49.640 --> 0:00:54.720 Dolphins podcast Network, covering your teams, your Miami Dolphins. How's 0:00:54.760 --> 0:00:58.120 it going? Everybody? I am your host, Travis Winfield. And 0:00:58.200 --> 0:01:02.240 on today's show, we continue our too look back and 0:01:02.360 --> 0:01:05.040 our off season primer, taking a look today at the 0:01:05.120 --> 0:01:07.720 running back position. Plus we'll look at the top ten 0:01:08.000 --> 0:01:12.640 runs from the Miami Dolphins season. All of that in 0:01:12.640 --> 0:01:14.480 a heck of a lot more from the Baptist Health 0:01:14.520 --> 0:01:19.360 Studios inside the Baptist Health Training Complex. This is the 0:01:19.440 --> 0:01:28.880 Drive Time, Happy Wednesday, everybody, Ahead of pre Championship Round 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:32.119 or I guess the championship round. It is pre Championship week. 0:01:32.319 --> 0:01:34.960 I hope it's going smoothly for you. Just one more 0:01:35.120 --> 0:01:38.480 Sunday full of football, then of course the Super Bowl. 0:01:38.720 --> 0:01:41.520 But it always feels like Conference Championship Weekend is the 0:01:41.600 --> 0:01:45.280 last real football weekend of the year. I can't wait 0:01:45.319 --> 0:01:47.520 for this one. We'll pick the games on the Friday Show. 0:01:48.040 --> 0:01:51.680 And can we please keep Championship Weekend at the site 0:01:51.800 --> 0:01:54.640 of the top seed remaining in each conference? Police? That 0:01:54.640 --> 0:01:58.920 would be great. Mostly, you know, I enjoyed the weekend's 0:01:58.920 --> 0:02:02.600 post Dolphins elimination more these days because Caroline keeps me 0:02:02.640 --> 0:02:05.080 busy and now cams part of the picture as well. 0:02:05.080 --> 0:02:07.800 My two beautiful kids, and we've been riding scooters going 0:02:07.840 --> 0:02:09.839 to the park. We've been working on our whiffleball game 0:02:10.160 --> 0:02:12.760 and Whiffle Blast is coming up this week and Team 0:02:12.840 --> 0:02:16.040 McDuffie is looking to repeat their championship from last season. 0:02:16.320 --> 0:02:18.720 The great news. Last year it was wendy as hell 0:02:18.760 --> 0:02:21.520 and about thirty eight degrees or something like that, But 0:02:21.720 --> 0:02:25.519 this year we get tremendous baseball weather, low seventies, no rain, 0:02:25.600 --> 0:02:29.880 minimal wind all day Saturday in Parkland at Pine Trails Park. 0:02:30.240 --> 0:02:32.600 If you're looking to come out, I know JT makes 0:02:32.639 --> 0:02:35.120 an appearance out there. It's his foundation. O J is 0:02:35.120 --> 0:02:38.120 out there obviously, I think some other former Miami Dolphins 0:02:38.120 --> 0:02:40.799 as well. Plus come watch some really fun whiffle ball 0:02:40.800 --> 0:02:43.200 and you know, trying to top my three bombs I 0:02:43.280 --> 0:02:46.320 hit last year and the game winning triple in the 0:02:46.400 --> 0:02:51.200 semifinals of the Whiffle Blast tournament. Before we get started today, 0:02:51.720 --> 0:02:53.720 I meant to include this on the Monday Pod and 0:02:53.760 --> 0:02:56.200 forgot so here it is. That's the beautiful part about 0:02:56.240 --> 0:02:58.880 the off season, as I can always just push segments 0:02:58.880 --> 0:03:01.720 down the line, which I do quite frequently. I've mentioned 0:03:01.800 --> 0:03:04.400 his work here on the podcast a lot, but ESPNS 0:03:04.480 --> 0:03:07.480 Seth Walder did a one hundred man m v P 0:03:07.680 --> 0:03:12.920 ballot based upon ESPN analytics and his own perceived player value. 0:03:13.320 --> 0:03:16.880 Based on those analytics, he mentioned pass rush win rate 0:03:17.000 --> 0:03:20.280 for you know a guy like Jalen Phillips, or for 0:03:20.400 --> 0:03:23.720 you know Tyreeke and to H or for Tyreek and Waddle, 0:03:24.000 --> 0:03:27.639 you know, yards over expected for to a UM, his 0:03:27.960 --> 0:03:32.560 e p A per drop back. Things that most most 0:03:32.639 --> 0:03:36.240 football heads would tell you are the top statistics for 0:03:36.400 --> 0:03:38.920 quantifying what happens on the field. Of course, as we 0:03:39.000 --> 0:03:42.200 know as drive time fans, you can never fully quantify 0:03:42.360 --> 0:03:44.600 a game like this by the numbers, but it does 0:03:44.680 --> 0:03:47.080 corroborate the tape that you see, and that's why I 0:03:47.120 --> 0:03:49.360 like to use these numbers that do corroborate what I 0:03:49.400 --> 0:03:52.880 see from eighteen Miami Dolphins games on tape this year 0:03:53.120 --> 0:03:56.480 for Seth Walder. For the Dolphins, five players made the list, 0:03:56.480 --> 0:03:58.800 which in and of itself is a good reminder of 0:03:58.800 --> 0:04:01.120 how far this roster has come, because we used to 0:04:01.160 --> 0:04:03.200 be like, can we get Cam Wake on the top 0:04:03.240 --> 0:04:06.240 one players list? Maybe like five, and that was your 0:04:06.280 --> 0:04:08.560 best bet you were going to get. You know, I 0:04:08.600 --> 0:04:11.120 guess Jarvis Landry a couple of times in there, but 0:04:12.640 --> 0:04:15.440 not no one that's ever a premier player at their position, right. 0:04:15.640 --> 0:04:17.240 We always wanted to get one or two. You see 0:04:17.360 --> 0:04:19.880 xaviing Howard in there a lot, but that was about it. 0:04:20.680 --> 0:04:23.360 Now different than the NFL Network list, but the math 0:04:23.680 --> 0:04:25.480 is the same, and it says that every team would 0:04:25.480 --> 0:04:28.000 average three players, right thirty two times three. Not a 0:04:28.000 --> 0:04:31.440 math scientist here, um mathematician. I just said math scientists 0:04:31.440 --> 0:04:34.400 and keep it in the podcast would be so I 0:04:34.400 --> 0:04:38.480 guess four teams would have four players, but the Dolphins 0:04:38.480 --> 0:04:41.080 are above that mean because they have five. Especially when 0:04:41.080 --> 0:04:43.280 you think about the fact that you could argue for 0:04:43.320 --> 0:04:46.400 another two or three players on this list. For me, 0:04:46.520 --> 0:04:49.800 that would be Robert Hunt and to Hron Armstead and 0:04:49.880 --> 0:04:53.680 Javon Holland I think would all potentially crack my list. 0:04:53.720 --> 0:04:57.440 But either way, here you go your your top Miami 0:04:57.480 --> 0:04:59.960 Dolphins m v P s. On the SETH Walter ballot. 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:02.679 Hyreek Hill was first for the Dolphins at number six 0:05:02.760 --> 0:05:05.680 overall to a tongue Bylow was the next Miami Dolphin. 0:05:05.760 --> 0:05:08.720 He was twelve in the m v P voting. Now 0:05:08.839 --> 0:05:14.280 let's go back to August, when you know, I hate 0:05:14.360 --> 0:05:19.360 using general perception to make a point, but because I 0:05:19.400 --> 0:05:22.120 never was concerned about this personally, but a lot of 0:05:22.120 --> 0:05:24.120 folks didn't know if to have had the goods right, 0:05:24.760 --> 0:05:27.600 he always did. He just hadn't been in a situation 0:05:27.680 --> 0:05:29.640 where he could show it. And the health is obviously concerned, 0:05:29.680 --> 0:05:33.080 but he's always had the goods. So back in August, 0:05:33.080 --> 0:05:35.400 when people wondered if he did, if I had given 0:05:35.400 --> 0:05:37.720 you a time machine, and again the four and a 0:05:37.760 --> 0:05:40.240 half games missed the playoff game missed all that aside. 0:05:40.320 --> 0:05:41.800 If I told you too it was going to be 0:05:41.839 --> 0:05:45.320 twelve and someone's m v P ballot, what would you say, 0:05:45.720 --> 0:05:47.400 pretty good? We should keep that guy around. He was 0:05:47.440 --> 0:05:50.360 twelve here, Jillan Waddle number forty. That's also great for 0:05:50.400 --> 0:05:52.080 the second year receiver who, like I said at the 0:05:52.080 --> 0:05:54.039 beginning of the year's top five ten receiving the NFL. 0:05:54.400 --> 0:05:55.919 He showed that this year. And if you think one 0:05:55.960 --> 0:05:59.280 playoff game changes that, shut up, Just shut up. Christian 0:05:59.279 --> 0:06:02.479 Wilkins eighty one, Jillen Phillips eighty nine. So five players 0:06:02.520 --> 0:06:04.520 on the top one hundred list. None of those guys 0:06:04.680 --> 0:06:06.680 running backs, though, and that's the position group we're talking 0:06:06.680 --> 0:06:08.880 about today on the podcast. Let's go ahead and do 0:06:09.040 --> 0:06:12.120 part two of our year end review and stopped by 0:06:12.120 --> 0:06:15.040 the running backs room, coached by Eric Studisville, who is 0:06:15.080 --> 0:06:19.359 also assistant head coach here with the Miami Dolphins team accomplishments. 0:06:19.720 --> 0:06:22.680 The Dolphins improved their yards per carry over the last 0:06:22.680 --> 0:06:25.960 two seasons by a decent margin. They weren't below four 0:06:26.040 --> 0:06:27.919 yards per carry coming into the season each of the 0:06:27.960 --> 0:06:30.680 last two years. This season, four point three yards per 0:06:30.720 --> 0:06:33.440 carry the running backs or rather all ball carriers, I 0:06:33.480 --> 0:06:36.680 should say, rushed for sixteen hundred eighty six yards. That's 0:06:36.720 --> 0:06:39.120 just under a hundred yards per game. That's got to 0:06:39.160 --> 0:06:43.159 go up next year. Yards from scrimmage by only running 0:06:43.200 --> 0:06:46.200 backs in full backs is eighteen eighteen. That's pretty good. 0:06:46.400 --> 0:06:49.520 That's a big improvement off years past, and total touchdowns 0:06:49.560 --> 0:06:53.640 among running backs and fullbacks was ten. Now the group 0:06:53.720 --> 0:06:56.240 as a whole, we saw a major shift from the 0:06:56.320 --> 0:06:58.800 running back room we saw in one. We made it 0:06:58.839 --> 0:07:03.440 a point on the podcast multiple times one about how 0:07:03.480 --> 0:07:06.360 the running back room was constructed of seventh round picks 0:07:06.360 --> 0:07:09.200 and undrafted free agents. And that was the case again 0:07:09.440 --> 0:07:12.200 because Jeff Wilson and Raheem most It were undrafted, and 0:07:12.200 --> 0:07:14.760 so was savan akhbed Miles Gascon was the seventh round pick, 0:07:14.840 --> 0:07:17.480 but you put more investment because they are free agent 0:07:17.520 --> 0:07:20.880 additions and guys that had proven more than that value 0:07:21.240 --> 0:07:23.960 as NFL pros. So where he most It was the 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:27.280 primary ball carrier. Jeff Wilson, that mid season acquisition came 0:07:27.320 --> 0:07:30.480 in to basically replace Chase Edmund's role after he was 0:07:30.560 --> 0:07:32.880 dealt to Denver in the Bradley Chubb role. I still 0:07:32.920 --> 0:07:34.480 wish I could have seen more of Chase Edmonds. I 0:07:34.480 --> 0:07:35.920 think he had a lot more meat on the bone. 0:07:36.120 --> 0:07:38.440 Those drops were obviously a killer, but still a big 0:07:38.440 --> 0:07:40.760 fan of his game. But from there he really replaced 0:07:40.840 --> 0:07:44.200 Chase's reps. So it's pretty much a clear one to punch. 0:07:44.480 --> 0:07:47.080 That utilized the fullback as much as any team in football, 0:07:47.280 --> 0:07:49.400 and I think it made their offense as creative as 0:07:49.440 --> 0:07:51.440 it possibly could have been. And I think we saw 0:07:51.520 --> 0:07:54.320 that kind of reduced in the last two games when 0:07:54.320 --> 0:07:56.280 Alec had the cast on his hand, because you can't 0:07:56.320 --> 0:07:58.600 block as well with just one hand. It's not it's 0:07:58.600 --> 0:08:04.320 not playing. You know, any defensive position you can club 0:08:04.400 --> 0:08:07.640 up and be okay, you're gonna lose some but blocking 0:08:07.640 --> 0:08:10.040 guys and using your hands like that's such an important 0:08:10.040 --> 0:08:11.640 thing for a fullback. For him to get any snaps 0:08:11.640 --> 0:08:13.120 in those two games, such a testament to the kind 0:08:13.120 --> 0:08:16.040 of person and player he is. Love Alec Ingold and 0:08:16.080 --> 0:08:18.160 then savan Akmed got a lot of run in the 0:08:18.200 --> 0:08:20.360 passing game, and he and Miles Gascon were kind of 0:08:20.360 --> 0:08:23.040 the call ups when either Raheem or Jeff was was 0:08:23.080 --> 0:08:25.720 out for a week before Miles got hurt at the 0:08:25.760 --> 0:08:28.080 end of the year. Pretty unique circumstance here that all 0:08:28.120 --> 0:08:30.400 four running backs are free agents heading into the new league. 0:08:30.400 --> 0:08:32.600 Gear should be very interesting to see how Chris and 0:08:32.640 --> 0:08:35.240 coach want to attack this position. It's such an important 0:08:35.280 --> 0:08:37.640 position in this offense. And on the Monday podcast, we 0:08:37.720 --> 0:08:40.800 talked about how all four teams on Divisional Round Weekend 0:08:40.800 --> 0:08:43.760 that one really control the game with their running. I'm 0:08:43.800 --> 0:08:46.959 a huge proponent of pass to score and then run 0:08:47.000 --> 0:08:49.920 the ball to win in terms of past first set 0:08:50.000 --> 0:08:51.720 up the run and then just milk that clock. And 0:08:51.760 --> 0:08:54.920 we saw all four victors in the Divisional Round Weekend 0:08:54.920 --> 0:08:56.440 with the ability to run the ball when the other 0:08:56.440 --> 0:08:58.920 team knew it was coming to shorten the game. And 0:08:58.920 --> 0:09:00.920 I talked about with the buff Little Bills, right, if 0:09:00.960 --> 0:09:03.200 you want to make Josh Allen continue to press more 0:09:03.280 --> 0:09:06.320 and get more of those negative, you know, impact splash plays, 0:09:06.720 --> 0:09:09.040 run the ball, shorten the game and make it close 0:09:09.120 --> 0:09:10.680 late in the fourth quarter, and you can potentially have 0:09:10.720 --> 0:09:13.600 that happen for yourself. As far as what they have 0:09:13.720 --> 0:09:15.600 and how they attack it this offseason, That's why I'm 0:09:15.640 --> 0:09:17.480 so intrigued by it, because you have to love what 0:09:17.559 --> 0:09:19.920 you saw from Raheem most when he was rolling in 0:09:20.040 --> 0:09:24.160 healthy I thought his ability to shed tacklers and and 0:09:24.200 --> 0:09:27.240 find lanes was really impressive to me. He was clearly 0:09:27.679 --> 0:09:29.720 the top back on the Dolphins this year, but by 0:09:29.760 --> 0:09:32.160 a pretty good margin. I think he's probably your top 0:09:32.160 --> 0:09:34.240 priority in terms of who you bring back. He's gonna 0:09:34.240 --> 0:09:36.080 be a big part of our top ten runs lists 0:09:36.160 --> 0:09:39.319 with many memorable carriers where he's dragging defenders. In fact, 0:09:39.360 --> 0:09:42.880 the top tur our plays where he drags defenders alongside him, 0:09:42.880 --> 0:09:45.600 and also showcasing that speed, which is a huge must 0:09:45.640 --> 0:09:49.160 have for me in this system, great system, fit team leader. 0:09:49.200 --> 0:09:51.120 I think he gives you that level of continuity going 0:09:51.160 --> 0:09:54.360 forward over a thousand yards from scrimmage. First Dolphins back 0:09:54.400 --> 0:09:57.960 to do that since Kenyan Drake did it. That was 0:09:58.040 --> 0:09:59.880 kind of a theme of the room, the speed right 0:10:00.000 --> 0:10:03.079 Savons can scoot, and frankly, I didn't know Jeff Wilson 0:10:03.160 --> 0:10:06.480 had that zero to sixty year in his bag that 0:10:06.559 --> 0:10:09.040 he does. He hits lion scrimmage with as much urgency 0:10:09.040 --> 0:10:12.000 as anybody, uh in this running back room. And then 0:10:12.040 --> 0:10:14.120 we'll see what happens beyond that with Miles and and 0:10:14.160 --> 0:10:16.280 you know, alec Ingold's obviously back here at the fullback 0:10:16.320 --> 0:10:19.400 as well, but UH, to finish that point on Ingle 0:10:19.480 --> 0:10:21.439 that I want to bring it back to here talking 0:10:21.440 --> 0:10:23.680 about him opening at the playbook. You know, any big 0:10:23.760 --> 0:10:26.680 run typically featured Alec Ingle out leading the way. And 0:10:26.720 --> 0:10:29.319 the two highest snap totals he played this year versus 0:10:29.320 --> 0:10:33.120 Cleveland and Buffalo at Buffalo were Miami's two biggest rushing 0:10:33.160 --> 0:10:34.880 days this season. So he's a big part of this 0:10:35.360 --> 0:10:37.560 room in general. Let's go ahead and give you the 0:10:37.760 --> 0:10:42.320 individual stats and scouting reports. Miles Gaskin going in order 0:10:42.320 --> 0:10:44.800 of George number here. He played thirty nine snaps this year, 0:10:44.840 --> 0:10:46.840 carried the ball just ten times for twenty six yards, 0:10:46.960 --> 0:10:49.560 had fifty four yards from scrimmage, did not score touchdown. 0:10:49.800 --> 0:10:53.719 He forced fifty three mistackles this season and average three 0:10:53.800 --> 0:10:56.199 point four yards after contact. I thought his first two 0:10:56.280 --> 0:10:59.000 years as a pro were really good. I thought one 0:10:59.000 --> 0:11:00.920 was a bit of a regression, and then this year 0:11:01.640 --> 0:11:03.760 I just didn't see much of the field. UH, and 0:11:03.800 --> 0:11:05.480 then got injured late in the season. We'll see what 0:11:05.559 --> 0:11:08.800 happens with him, UH in this offseason. Jeff Wilson number 0:11:08.840 --> 0:11:11.839 twenty three, played two hundred ninety seven snaps with ninety 0:11:11.880 --> 0:11:14.480 four rush attempts. That was good for three hundred ninety 0:11:14.559 --> 0:11:16.840 two yards on the ground. He had four eight six 0:11:16.920 --> 0:11:20.840 total He did score four times, had sixteen miss tackles forced, 0:11:21.000 --> 0:11:24.439 and average just two point to nine yards after contact 0:11:24.520 --> 0:11:27.959 per carry. Excuse me, but I thought that his physicality 0:11:27.960 --> 0:11:31.679 and what he brought in terms of, you know, powering 0:11:31.800 --> 0:11:34.480 through guys and sitting at certain tone and temple for 0:11:34.520 --> 0:11:37.240 this offense was very critical. The running backs got to 0:11:37.240 --> 0:11:39.160 catch the football better. Man. There was some drops from 0:11:39.240 --> 0:11:41.439 him raheem Chase Edmonds earlier in the year. Catch the 0:11:41.520 --> 0:11:43.120 damp ball at the running back position. Man. That's a 0:11:43.120 --> 0:11:45.000 big part of this offense as well. We have to 0:11:45.000 --> 0:11:48.040 be better at that three um. But yeah, Jeff Wilson 0:11:48.720 --> 0:11:50.760 really curiously where they go with him in this offseason. 0:11:50.960 --> 0:11:54.360 Twenty six of on akmed seventy snaps seventeen Russia attempts 0:11:54.360 --> 0:11:57.240 for sixty four yards, just seventy two yards from scrimmage 0:11:57.280 --> 0:12:00.600 one touchdown against Buffalo. He forced two as tackles an 0:12:00.640 --> 0:12:03.800 average two point four one yards per rush attempt. For Savan, 0:12:03.920 --> 0:12:05.880 it's all about pass pro because he's such a good 0:12:05.880 --> 0:12:08.760 pass catching running back. Those wheels, those flats, those those 0:12:08.800 --> 0:12:11.040 little swing rounds. He can catch it and get going. Man. 0:12:11.080 --> 0:12:13.760 He loves to operate out on the perimeter, but to 0:12:13.800 --> 0:12:15.480 be able to run that role, you have to pass 0:12:15.480 --> 0:12:17.280 protect better. So that's a big key for him, you 0:12:17.280 --> 0:12:20.240 know this offseason. If he can come back, be better 0:12:20.280 --> 0:12:23.319 and pass pro give us those special team snaps um 0:12:23.440 --> 0:12:25.280 and then contribute the passing game. I love him as 0:12:25.280 --> 0:12:27.720 a third or fourth back on your roster. Number thirty 0:12:27.760 --> 0:12:31.040 alec Ingold played four hundred and twenty seven snaps, only 0:12:31.040 --> 0:12:32.840 carried it six times for eight yards. You'd love to 0:12:32.840 --> 0:12:35.400 see that had the two total touchdowns and had one 0:12:35.480 --> 0:12:37.839 hundred and thirteen yards from scrimmage. Catching the football a 0:12:37.880 --> 0:12:39.640 little bit and there's more on the bone there for 0:12:39.720 --> 0:12:41.599 him to write, like the drop against the Patriots on 0:12:41.679 --> 0:12:44.080 Opening Day. He can do a lot of stuff where 0:12:44.080 --> 0:12:46.680 he splits out, flexes out and makes plays and he'll 0:12:46.720 --> 0:12:48.360 catch that ball most of the time. And then number 0:12:48.360 --> 0:12:50.520 thirty one where he most dirt. Five hundred and fifty 0:12:50.520 --> 0:12:53.000 one snaps, a hundred eight one rush attempts for eight 0:12:53.960 --> 0:12:57.319 one thousand, ninety three yards from scrimmage, five total touchdowns. 0:12:57.520 --> 0:13:00.120 He forced a team high thirty nine miss tackles an 0:13:00.120 --> 0:13:03.719 average three point five two yards after contact. To me, 0:13:03.800 --> 0:13:06.520 he's a no brainer. We'll see again what happens this offseason. 0:13:06.559 --> 0:13:08.720 But he is such a good fit, such a great leader, 0:13:08.960 --> 0:13:11.880 the speed division, the explosiveness, the big plays, the pass 0:13:11.960 --> 0:13:15.160 pro he does it all. I love Raheem Moster. But again, 0:13:15.320 --> 0:13:17.640 every back in this room, besides alec Ingold, there's a 0:13:17.640 --> 0:13:20.520 fullback obviously, will be a free agent this offseason. I 0:13:20.559 --> 0:13:22.839 cannot wait to see what happens with the Miami Dolphin. 0:13:22.880 --> 0:13:24.520 Let's go ahead and take our first break right here 0:13:24.559 --> 0:13:26.600 and come back on the other side, and we will 0:13:26.640 --> 0:13:29.480 talk about the potential markets for this running back position. 0:13:29.679 --> 0:13:32.640 Will also do top ten runs of two season all 0:13:32.679 --> 0:13:35.680 of that's next Drift Time Podcast, your host, Travis Wingfield, 0:13:35.800 --> 0:13:44.400 brought to you by Auto Nation. We have the incumbents 0:13:44.440 --> 0:13:47.959 done in this primer edition of the Drift Time Podcast. 0:13:48.120 --> 0:13:50.000 Let's go ahead and take a look now at free 0:13:50.040 --> 0:13:52.920 agency and what that might produce at the running back position, 0:13:53.040 --> 0:13:55.720 projecting who's out there on the market right now. Of course, 0:13:55.760 --> 0:13:57.840 these markets always dry up by the time we get 0:13:57.840 --> 0:14:00.640 to March in the new league year. But this will 0:14:00.679 --> 0:14:03.560 be more in depth because or than the edge position, 0:14:03.559 --> 0:14:06.000 I should say, because well, each one of our guys 0:14:06.040 --> 0:14:08.559 is a free agent, and forecasting what happens here is 0:14:08.600 --> 0:14:11.360 tough because you have Raheem, who I again proved his 0:14:11.440 --> 0:14:13.679 value to me as a player and captain. We use 0:14:13.760 --> 0:14:16.560 a draft resource on Jeff Wilson. You guys know I'm 0:14:16.600 --> 0:14:18.840 a huge Savan Akhmed fan. If he can get that 0:14:18.840 --> 0:14:21.120 pass pro up. My best guest is, if you don't 0:14:21.200 --> 0:14:23.880 run it back, you try to retain Savan, bring back 0:14:23.880 --> 0:14:26.680 one one of the other two, and go out on 0:14:26.720 --> 0:14:29.440 the open market for the two of the one to 0:14:29.560 --> 0:14:33.000 punch behind Raheem, like, for instance, a running back room 0:14:33.040 --> 0:14:36.400 of Raheem Moster, Alexander Madison, and Savan Akhmed. That sounds 0:14:36.400 --> 0:14:37.840 good to me as long as you can make more 0:14:37.840 --> 0:14:40.760 improvements on the offensive line. And that's the prelude to 0:14:40.800 --> 0:14:43.880 my top option, which is the Vikings running back set 0:14:43.920 --> 0:14:46.480 to hit free agency, and unless they deal Dalvin Cook, 0:14:46.480 --> 0:14:48.080 I'm not sure I see in the budget to go 0:14:48.120 --> 0:14:51.480 back after Alexander Madison. You know what will he get 0:14:51.920 --> 0:14:54.640 is in terms of the open market. Uh, here's what 0:14:54.720 --> 0:14:57.640 I like about Madison a limited wear and tear. When 0:14:57.640 --> 0:14:59.320 you're the backup to Dalvin Cook, you don't carry the 0:14:59.320 --> 0:15:02.280 ball a whole lot be limited exposure to suppress that 0:15:02.320 --> 0:15:05.080 market against same idea there. See, he's played in a 0:15:05.120 --> 0:15:08.400 wide zone offense there under Kevin O'Connell for a season. 0:15:08.760 --> 0:15:11.280 D far more physical than any back we have and 0:15:11.440 --> 0:15:13.560 e I think he pairs really well with Raheem Moster, 0:15:13.600 --> 0:15:15.880 who again, like I mentioned, would prefer to come back. 0:15:15.920 --> 0:15:18.880 Spot Rack has Madison's market value at two point two million, 0:15:19.120 --> 0:15:21.000 exact same as Raheem Mosters. That would be in the 0:15:21.040 --> 0:15:23.880 cheap end to me good value though, And maybe you 0:15:23.920 --> 0:15:26.560 do bring back, you know, Jeff Wilson. If you can 0:15:26.560 --> 0:15:28.240 get all three of those guys at that rate, may 0:15:28.280 --> 0:15:29.800 that's not too bad either. So I don't know. Well, 0:15:29.840 --> 0:15:31.960 there are options here, you know, at the position that 0:15:32.000 --> 0:15:34.520 doesn't really require big money. Now, if you do want 0:15:34.560 --> 0:15:37.600 to put a premium investment there, those players are potentially 0:15:37.600 --> 0:15:39.840 out there as well. Again, all that with the caveat 0:15:40.120 --> 0:15:42.080 these guys could sign back to their teams any day now. 0:15:42.680 --> 0:15:44.680 Sae Kwon Barkley is the gem of the class, but 0:15:44.760 --> 0:15:46.400 he said he wants to play his whole career in 0:15:46.440 --> 0:15:49.800 New York. I also am pretty against giving players, you know, 0:15:50.360 --> 0:15:52.680 at that position million dollars a year, which is his 0:15:52.720 --> 0:15:55.880 market value twelve point three by spot Rack, especially when 0:15:55.880 --> 0:15:59.120 they have that injury history. The projections that they do 0:15:59.160 --> 0:16:03.560 this are based upon on similar production with players at 0:16:03.600 --> 0:16:05.960 that position and what their contracts were. So his comps 0:16:05.960 --> 0:16:09.320 were Joe Mix and Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook, and Christian McCaffrey. 0:16:09.400 --> 0:16:11.720 So yeah, it's pretty top of the league. And that's 0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:14.560 also where Josh Jacobs obviously lands to the rushing champ 0:16:14.640 --> 0:16:16.960 this year, and Tony Pollard's also part of that group 0:16:17.400 --> 0:16:19.760 even with the broken leg. I still think Tony Pollard's 0:16:19.760 --> 0:16:22.320 a phenomenal free agent option this year, but he's gonna 0:16:22.320 --> 0:16:23.680 cost you a bunch of money, So I think it's 0:16:23.760 --> 0:16:26.680 nine point nine million. Was uh the market value on 0:16:26.720 --> 0:16:30.480 spot rack for posterity for Alexander Madison. It was Niheim Hines, 0:16:30.560 --> 0:16:32.680 Justin Jackson, de Ernest Johnson. And you're saying to me, 0:16:32.800 --> 0:16:34.760 Geez Travis on a great list of peers there, But 0:16:34.800 --> 0:16:36.760 I really think Madison's best balls ahead of him. I 0:16:36.800 --> 0:16:38.560 was a huge fan of his game at Boise State two. 0:16:38.840 --> 0:16:40.640 He's the kind of runner that juices up the crowd, 0:16:40.720 --> 0:16:43.840 the offensive line, can convert short yardage. He's a career 0:16:43.880 --> 0:16:46.880 two point eight nine yards after contact on average player, 0:16:47.120 --> 0:16:49.560 and the one thing he doesn't have is the lightning speed, 0:16:49.600 --> 0:16:51.720 which of course is a priority here. But again there's 0:16:51.720 --> 0:16:54.440 reasons why you're getting players like this at their cost. 0:16:54.720 --> 0:16:57.440 Jamal Williams, Kareem Hunt, Miles Sanders to me are all 0:16:57.520 --> 0:17:00.240 kind of part of that mix. Sanders is super intrigued man. 0:17:00.280 --> 0:17:02.880 He is a good three down player, splitting the difference 0:17:02.880 --> 0:17:05.840 there with him between Barkley and Jacobs compared to Madison. 0:17:06.119 --> 0:17:09.040 He's a seven point to projected market value. That's your 0:17:09.440 --> 0:17:12.480 that's your speed. Number one back who plays of the 0:17:12.480 --> 0:17:15.480 passing of the downs, passing downs earlier downs, does it all. 0:17:15.600 --> 0:17:17.160 If you sign him, you probably don't have a lot 0:17:17.160 --> 0:17:20.040 in the budget for anything besides it rookie or you know, 0:17:20.080 --> 0:17:22.640 bringing back a player like a savant Akhmed. Like I said, 0:17:22.680 --> 0:17:25.440 tons of directions you can go here. Jeric mckinnons really 0:17:25.440 --> 0:17:28.320 interesting to me. Rashad Penny, I think is fascinating. I 0:17:28.400 --> 0:17:29.960 was a fan of what I saw from Jim Michael 0:17:29.960 --> 0:17:33.320 Hasty and Jacksonville. I love Justice Hill from Baltimore. He's 0:17:33.359 --> 0:17:34.760 a really good fit if you want to kind of 0:17:34.800 --> 0:17:38.359 replace that two or three running back role with pure speed, 0:17:38.400 --> 0:17:41.439 special team's ability. This is probably the easiest position to 0:17:41.440 --> 0:17:44.720 me to upgrade this offseason based upon the information we 0:17:44.760 --> 0:17:47.280 have here. Again, it could change, could dry up, but 0:17:47.320 --> 0:17:49.520 the draft is also pretty rich. If I had to 0:17:49.520 --> 0:17:52.080 give you two choices for each tier of back in 0:17:52.119 --> 0:17:54.880 free agency, there top guys would be Tony Pollard from Dallas, 0:17:55.080 --> 0:17:57.080 but honestly, I don't love this route at all. I 0:17:57.119 --> 0:17:59.040 would include Sae Kwon Barkley and there for the sake 0:17:59.080 --> 0:18:02.000 of two names. The medium investment that doesn't treat me. 0:18:02.119 --> 0:18:05.119 Miles Sanders and then Jamal Williams is the other because 0:18:05.119 --> 0:18:07.640 of his ability to score touchdowns a convert short yardage, 0:18:07.760 --> 0:18:09.600 which to me is the biggest need on the offense 0:18:09.680 --> 0:18:12.760 this offseason. But there's no way Detroit lets that man leave. 0:18:12.800 --> 0:18:14.480 He is such a big part of what they do 0:18:14.840 --> 0:18:18.120 in Detroit. And in the minimal investment is Alexander Madison 0:18:18.119 --> 0:18:21.200 and potentially Ronald Jones, the former USC trojan, former Tampa 0:18:21.240 --> 0:18:23.920 Bay buccaneer, former Kansas City chief. Uh yeah, there's a 0:18:23.920 --> 0:18:25.840 reason why you're getting guys to that cost. But Madison 0:18:25.840 --> 0:18:29.120 to me is the biggest boom a potential reward there 0:18:29.400 --> 0:18:31.879 for the low end cost signings in the draft class 0:18:31.880 --> 0:18:33.640 this year. You know, back when we had the two 0:18:33.640 --> 0:18:35.520 first round picks, I would say, you're very much in 0:18:35.560 --> 0:18:37.320 play for it. Is a luxury pick for any team 0:18:37.359 --> 0:18:39.119 that can do it. At the running back position in 0:18:39.160 --> 0:18:41.560 the first round. Be John Robinson from Texas is a 0:18:41.600 --> 0:18:44.080 top five player in this class from my money. Obviously 0:18:44.119 --> 0:18:46.520 we know the value of that position gets suppressed every 0:18:46.520 --> 0:18:48.600 single year. But he'll go in the first round. Now. 0:18:49.400 --> 0:18:51.960 If Alabama's Jamir Gibbs is there in the second round, 0:18:52.280 --> 0:18:54.640 I would personally sprint that card to the podium. He's 0:18:54.680 --> 0:18:57.640 a special, special player who I think would fit perfectly here, 0:18:57.960 --> 0:19:00.200 and that's probably the only round two option for me. 0:19:00.440 --> 0:19:03.439 I love Devon a Chain from Texas A and M 0:19:03.440 --> 0:19:05.520 and his blazing speed. Not a big back, but he 0:19:05.600 --> 0:19:08.040