The Miami Dolphins were a mediocre rushing team at best during the 2024 regular season. The Dolphins averaged just 105.6 rushing yards per contest, and only 11 teams did a worse job at racking up rushing yards game in and game out.
Additionally, only one player on the team finished the campaign with 900 or more rushing yards. Promising young running back De’Von Achane accumulated a team-high 907, and Raheem Mostert finished second on the squad with 278.
ESPN’s Mina Kimes recently acknowledged that if Miami wants to shake its playoff demons soon, it needs to have a more dynamic rushing game. But Kimes also chalked up the Dolphins’ lackluster play from a rushing standpoint to a subpar offensive line.
🎥 Mina Kimes on the Miami Dolphins: “I don’t care that your QB throws the ball in 2.2 seconds… you are not going to win football games, in January, if you can’t run the ball better.” (@ESPNNFL) #GoFins pic.twitter.com/ewDjCvlmE4
— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) February 20, 2025
“I don’t care that your quarterback throws the ball in 2.25 seconds,” said Kimes. “You are not going to win football games in January if you can’t run the ball better. And you can’t run the ball better if you don’t invest in that offensive line, particularly on the interior. Both their guards are free agents.”
Rushing the ball was maybe Miami’s Achilles heel. The Dolphins weren’t lacking a capable passer, at least not when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was healthy. He started 11 of the team’s 17 games and led the NFL in percentage of passes completed.
Miami was also quite the successful defensive team in its first year under defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. The Dolphins allowed 21.4 points per game in the 2024 regular season. A whopping 16 teams allowed more points per contest.
Perhaps Miami will look at outside hires in free agency to help bolster its offensive line, and as a result, its running game as well. James Daniels of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Will Fries of the Indianapolis Colts, Kevin Zeitler of the Detroit Lions and Trey Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs were all mentioned by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald as intriguing options at the guard spot who are also impending free agents.
The start of NFL free agency is coming up on March 12, which isn’t even one full month away at this juncture.
Whether or not general manager Chris Grier will make some moves to improve Miami’s offensive line remains to be seen, but the Dolphins need players who can adequately protect Tagovailoa in the 2025 campaign. On top of benefitting their run game, upgrading their offensive line could also help the signal-caller stave off the injury bug going forward.
