The Dolphins thought they needed to improve at running back this offseason, so they signed Jordan Howard to a two-year, $9.75 million contract and traded a fifth-round draft pick for Matt Breida. Little did the Dolphins know that their best running back was already on the roster.
That running back was Myles Gaskin, a 2019 seventh-round draft pick who has emerged as the lead back this season while Howard and Breida have been non-factors.
Through three games, Gaskin has 152 rushing yards and 91 receiving yards. Howard and Breida combined have just 75 rushing yards and two receiving yards.
If the Dolphins had expected Gaskin to emerge as their top running back, they certainly wouldn’t have signed Howard and traded for Breida. But Gaskin serves as a good reminder of how often productive runners can be acquired without spending much on them.