Miami Dolphins need to hold on to Lamar Miller

Impending free agent running back Lamar Miller was an effective running back with the Miami Dolphins last year.  Despite averaging 4.5 yards per carry in 2015, he just isn’t a big part of the offense. Over his four years with the team, he has averaged over 4.6 yards per carry, yet he’s not a household name in the NFL.

As he approaches free agency in March, the 2012 4th-round pick out of Miami is after household name status. In other words, he wants to be a bell-cow, receiving the money and recognition that comes with it. So the team that’s willing to push him to that status is the team that will sign him.

Miller told WAXY-AM, via the Miami Herald. “I want to be a featured back. I want the recognition I deserve.”

The Dolphins need to be the team that’s willing to give it to him instead of letting him get away. Miller has only carried the ball 16 times or more four times and the Dolphins won all four games. They may have done better than 6-10 in 2015 if he had consistently been more involved in the game plan.

But there were games when Miller was out of the game plans under both Joe Philbin and Dan Campbell. In a total of six games, Miller carried the ball nine times for less and they loss all of them. Miller is looking for a total of 20 carries or more per game from the next team he goes to.

He hasn’t publicly ruled out the Dolphins as new head coach Adam Gase can put together the game plans while owner Stephen Ross puts together the compensation package to get him to stay. He did say he’d “love to stay” in Miami and that he thought Ross “picked the right guy” in hiring of Gase.

The Dolphins have the makings of a great defense if the keep their main guys and get some help at corner. And quarterback Ryan Tannehill is a guy you can win with but not because of. So bringing back Miller, who will be 25 by Week 1, to go with what could be a great defense, is the way to go.

Like Deion Sanders likes to say, “Pay da man!”