Following a lackluster training camp, former first-round draft pick Sony Michel was among the players cut by the Miami Dolphins on Monday.
With the Dolphins apparently having enough running back talent on hand, Michel was deemed expendable. The only cost to the Dolphins came in the form of a portion of his one-year guaranteed deal.
Starting Off Strong
Michel’s NFL stock has hit a new low just four years after he became the 31st overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. The New England Patriots used their second selection that year on the former University of Georgia running back.
During Michel’s first two seasons with the Patriots, he appeared to have the makings of a solid NFL running back, rushing for over 900 yards during each season and scoring a combined 13 touchdowns on the ground.
Especially effective during the playoffs of his rookie season, Michel scored the only touchdown of the Patriots’ 13-3 Super Bowl win over the Los Angeles Rams in February 2019.
Setback
During the 2020 campaign, injuries limited Michel to just nine games. In those contests, he gained 449 yards on the ground and scored just one touchdown.
Michel gained 219 of those yards in the Patriots’ final three games of the 2020 campaign. Still, he was dealt to the Rams during last year’s training camp.
Seeing action in all 17 regular season games for the Rams in 2021, he appeared to regain his form by finishing with 845 rushing yards and reaching the end zone four times. He added another touchdown through the air that season.
Despite that solid regular season, Michel struggled as the Rams made their Super Bowl run. Three months after gaining two yards on just two carries in the Super Bowl, Michel signed with the Dolphins.
Exactly why Michel performed poorly enough to get released is uncertain. The question now for the the 27-year-old running back is what team might sign him going forward.
Possible Options
It’s conceivable that the Cleveland Browns might be a consideration for Michel. That’s because during his collegiate days at Georgia, he and Browns running back Nick Chubb flourished for the Bulldogs.
The possibility also exists that his former coach with the Patriots, Bill Belichick, may also get in touch with him.
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