Getty MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 11: Kenyan Drake #32 of the Miami Dolphins carries the ball in the third quarter against the New England Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium on December 11, 2017 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
The Miami Dolphins find themselves in an interesting situation at the running back posiition ahead of the 2018 NFL season. While Kenyan Drake emerged as a young playmaker with tremendous upside last season, the team also added a veteran in Frank Gore to pair up with him.
As originally reported by Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins plan to split the carries between the two backs, which to this point, there seems to be no issue with.
It’s actually been just the opposite, as the long-time San Francisco 49ers back in Gore raved about his young teammate in an interview with ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe.
“Drake is a great kid. I want him to have success. He works hard. He loves the game. He listens. He’s real humble. His skill set is crazy. He can do everything,” Gore said. “As long as he stays healthy, works hard and keeps being humble, he will have success and be special. The only thing he got that I don’t have is the long speed. I wish I had that.”
Gore spent 10 seasons with the 49ers, rushing for at least 1,000 yards in eight of those years. He then proceeded to top 960 yards in each of his three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. Now, at age 35, his career is rolling right along next to a 24-year-old backfield mate in Drake.
Drake’s emergence came last season after the Dolphins traded Jay Ajayi to the Philadelphia Eagles, and the third-year running back had no problem hitting the ground running. While he finished the season with 644 yards on 133 carries and three touchdowns. Drake racked up 444 of those rushing yards and two scores in the final five weeks of the season, receiving at least 13 carries in each game.
There’s no question the Dolphins will benefit from having a veteran leader in the backfield to pair with their electrifying young option. It will be worth monitoring to see how the coaching staff opts to hand out carries after the year officially gets underway.
Drake’s breakaway speed and big-play ability has to be appealing to head coach Adam Gase, but time will tell on how this situation plays out.