The Miami Dolphins throughout the 2023 season were one of the premier teams to watch on the run. Running backs Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr., and De’Von Achane collaborated to run for 2,000 of Miami’s 2,308 rushing yards that season. The trio appeared to work like a relay team — each one getting a rep and a highlight.
However, the group toward training camp will be tested with more speed being added to the roster. A few running backs currently are on the bubble to make this position group already. One of them hasn’t even played a down in an NFL game. Here are the storylines for the running back room in the Dolphins’ 2024 training camp.
Miami Dolphins 2024 Training Camp Preview: Running Back
Mostert Can Lock First-String Status for Good
Mostert had a historic career-high season in 2023. The back led the team in rushing for 1,012 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns. The yards gained by Mostert lock him in as the 10th Miami running back to run over 1,000 yards in a single season. Super Bowl Champion Jay Ajayi in 2016 was the last running back to do this when he ran for 1,272 yards that season.
Last season marked a full circle moment for Mostert. The New Smyrna Beach, Florida native started his career in the league as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015. Mostert was cut despite a decent preseason and he didn’t make the 53-man roster and was placed onto the Eagles practice squad. Miami picked Mostert up to return kicks that same year.
Now, six teams later, the 5-foot-10-inch speedster is a Pro-Bowl running back heading into his 10th season in the NFL. The only matchup besides him to chase the first-string spot at his position is Achane. The Texas A&M product has a similar game to Mostert but doesn’t have the advantage of catching as a back. Mostert, who has worked with head coach Mike McDaniels while with the San Francisco 49ers, has years of experience over anyone in the room. He can solidify himself as RB1 this summer.
Achane Heading Into Year Two
Achane in his rookie season was a rocket on the field. The 5-foot-9-inch running back rushed for 800 yards and averaged 7.77 yards per carry. Once Achane saw space out on the field, it was free real estate. The Dolphins’ newest addition ran a 4.32 40-yard dash in the NFL Combine — the fastest out of any running back in the 2023 class. Achane fit perfectly within the “track team” persona that McDaniels has created in Miami.
Achane heads into this year’s training camp as a favorite to share snaps behind Mostert. The skilled running back showed great promise in both the run and passing game early last season early in week three against the Denver Broncos. Achane ran and caught a pair of two touchdowns each that game, including a 67-yard touchdown run, as Miami routed Denver to win 70-20.
Since then, Achane went on to have four 100-yard rushing games to end the year — tying Karim Abdul-Jabbar’s franchise rookie record in 1996. The full-throttle runner has been used primarily in toss runs, or in passes running a wheel route. Training camp could be an opportunity for him to grow more into the passing game as a vital piece in the yards-after-catch identity of the Dolphins.
Wilson Can Prove His Worth
Similar to Mostert, Wilson came to Miami in 2022 via a trade from San Francisco to join McDaniels’ offense. However, the 28-year-old running back hasn’t had the same success as his teammate. Wilson through two seasons with the Dolphins has run 588 yards and has only appeared in 18 games.
Last season marked the first time since his rookie season in 2018 that he wasn’t able to score a touchdown. With the stardom of Achane, Wilson has taken a back seat on the roster. The third-string back finished last year with 41 rushing attempts and a career-low 188 yards. Wilson also struggled hauling receptions with only 14 passes caught for 85 receiving yards.
This year’s training camp could be a vital proving ground for him to impress running backs coach Eric Studesville. Trying to get out of a quiet No. 3 role in the rotation, Wilson will be challenged against Achane and cast behind him trying to get onto the 53-man roster. Similar to last season, another rookie can be a threat to him.
Explosive Rookie to Shake up the Room
Rookie running back Jaylen Wright out of Tennessee was a threat to every defense in the Southeastern Conference last season. The former Volunteer ran a career-high 1,013 yards and averaged 7.39 rushing yards per carry. The 2023 All-SEC Second Team member ran a 4.38 40-yard dash in the combine and landed as a fourth-round selection to the Miami Dolphins in the 2024 NFL Draft.
At rookie minicamp, Wright acknowledged his speed but isn’t trying to compare himself to any of his teammates. The rookie running back said he is excited to add to an already good offensive team, and that he’s “comfortable” catching balls in the backfield. Wright put up a career-high 141 receiving yards last year.
Mostert, who is 11 years older than Wright, and Achane are a pair that Wright wants to create into a trio. The explosive running back is expected to learn from them and can’t wait to work with them in training camp.
“Both of those guys, they’re really good guys, great players. I’m excited just to be able to share the rock with them,” Wright said at rookie minicamp. “I’m excited to be that trio that’ll be out there making a lot of plays this summer, this fall.”
This Could Be the End for Ahmed in Miami
Dolphins fifth-year running back Salvon Ahmed has always been on the brink of making an NFL roster. Since being an undrafted rookie free agent with San Francisco in 2020, he has never been the first-string guy at running back with only four starts in his career. A huge reason why he was able to make the cut last season for Miami was because Wilson was placed on injured reserve.
Ahmed showed up in spots throughout last season. With the already stacked running power in the running back room, Ahmed appeared in only eight games after two straight seasons of playing through 12. The running back ran a career-low 61 yards through 22 rushing attempts in 2023. Despite a poor running performance that year, Ahmed did show some upside in the passing game with a career-high 16 receptions.
The 197-pound runner resigned back to the Dolphins on a one-year, $1.29 million contract in March, but that doesn’t guarantee a spot onto the 53-man roster. Ahmed will be faced to be in his hardest challenge yet battling against Wilson and Wright for a third-string spot in camp. There have been no reports of McDaniels extending the running back room to four for the regular season.
In reality, Ahmed’s best chances are at a spot with the practice squad with this current roster. The only other running back he has an advantage over heading into camp is two-year running back Chris Brooks, who was able to get more rushing yards (106) than Ahmed through three games last season. This summer in Miami will be truly the battle for the ‘nonexistent’ fourth-string position.
Main Photo: Jim Rassol/THE PALM BEACH POST-USA TODAY NETWORK
