Edmonds Explains Dolphins Struggles

The running back is getting a new start in 2023 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Miami Dolphins haven't had very good luck, for the most part, with free agent running backs in recent years and Chase Edmonds was the latest example of that bad run last year.

Now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Edmonds explained his struggles with the Dolphins in his short time with the team last season before he left as part of the trade with the Denver Broncos that brought outside linebacker Bradley Chubb.

In eight games with Miami last year after signing as an unrestricted free agent from the Arizona Cardinals, Edmonds rushed for 120 yards and caught 10 passes for 96 yards.

But the two stats that stood out were his mediocre 2.9 rushing average and his four dropped passes on 17 targets, the most notable of which coming in the end zone on a third-and-goal in the Thursday night game at Cincinnati.

“That was the craziest thing,” Edmonds told the Tampa Bay Times. “I remember last season, they moved me around so much in terms of training camp, almost like in the slot. I got a mental funk where I let one ball turn into a drop, and two drops turn into three. Prior to that, I had one drop my entire career."

Edmonds actually was charged with 11 drops in his first four NFL seasons, according to the Pro Football Reference advanced stats, but that's kind of beside the point.

Another issue, Edmonds says, that he lost the chip in his shoulder with which he entered the NFL after signing as a UFA with the Dolphins.

“You’re like, ‘OK, things are finally turning around for yourself. Things are finally up and up,’ ” Edmonds told longtime Bucs writer Rick Stroud. “And, you know, last season was, just straight up, my worst season ever in all my years of football. Performance-wise, it was just not up to my standard at all. It’s very humbling."

Edmonds did have a big highlight during his eight games with Miami, his 28-yard run to set up the game-winning touchdown in the remarkable 42-38 comeback victory against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2.

But overall, it was a rough go for Edmonds.

THE DOLPHINS' ROUGH HISTORY WITH FREE AGENT RBs AND THE ONE EXCEPTION

Unfortunately for the Dolphins, this almost was par for the course with a veteran free agent running back.

The Dolphins' run of tough luck began with Mark Walton in 2019, followed by Jordan Howard in 2020 and Malcolm Brown  in 2021.

The one exception was another 2022 acquisition, Raheem Mostert, who actually came back to the Dolphins for a second stint after playing his first NFL regular season with Miami back in 2015.

Mostert was impressive enough last season after signing a one-year contract that the team re-signed him to a two-year deal this offseason.

As for Edmonds, he's hoping to build off his time with the Broncos, which was much more productive than his time in Miami — he averaged 4.8 yards per rushing attempt and caught six of the seven passes thrown his way without a drop.

“It’s on the film from my first four years doing it,” Edmonds told the TB Times. “I know I can be an elite third running back in this league, and I’m going be one of those guys where I’m a big-time mismatch with linebackers coming out f the backfield and I’m eager to prove them wrong. I’m eager to get back out there, you know, add that chip back on my shoulder.”