The Miami Dolphins continue their exhaustive effort to find a veteran running back to pair with second-year tailback Jay Ajayi.
The Dolphins never seemed close to re-signing Lamar Miller, their offer sheet to C.J. Anderson got matched and Chris Johnson chose to return to Arizona.
The search continues.
The Miami Herald's Armando Salguero reported the Dolphins have had conversations with multiple teams about trading for a running back. Salguero added there are no specifics as to which players Miami has inquired about and a trade isn't believed to be imminent.
Coach Adam Gase insisted this week that he wants a "stable" of runners in his backfield.
Fishing for a trade makes sense at this stage, after much of the free-agent pool has been picked clean.
A big brand like free agent Arian Foster could be added down the line, but it's likely the running back will get back to full health before signing a deal.
Quality trade options seem few and far between. Ryan Mathews was on the market earlier this offseason, but the trade of DeMarco Murray seems to have solidified his place in Philadelphia. The Chiefs have a glut of solid backs with Jamaal Charles returning from injury: Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware both filled in well last season. Could Miami pry Tevin Coleman away from the Falcons, given Kyle Shanahan's affinity for a one-back approach? How about Tre Mason in St. Louis?
Trade scenarios are fun offseason fodder, but adding a running back in the middle rounds of the draft and a veteran off the scrap heap this summer seem like the most likely routes at this point.
