Gaskin Takes a Lot of Offseason Hits, But Remains Dolphins' Top Back
Myles Gaskin has fast feet, good instincts, no shortage of grit or determination.
However, somebody needs to closely examine his skin — just to see if it's thick enough — because the third-year Miami Dolphins running back has been under heavy criticism all offseason.
It's mattered little that the University of Washington's all-time leading rusher (5,323 yards) has received a vote of confidence from the people who matter most, Miami's front-office execs and coaches.
This past April, they didn't draft another runner, which signified they're comfortable with Gaskin as the returning starter. He took note of that.
"I'm better, just more better in the mind, better just physically, just ready to go," Gaskin said.
Yet the fans have been far from satisfied with this development, insisting the Dolphins need a bigger, more powerful back to keep building on their 10-6 season last fall and become a playoff team again.
Those who consider themselves pro-football analysts have been no kinder to Gaskin than those in the stands. They dwell on his long absences last season while dealing with COVID-19 and knee issues, and remind everyone how the former Husky ball carrier was just a seventh-round draft pick.
Clearly, the harshest Gaskin critic has been a former NFL back and similarly a smallish runner who originated in the Pac-12 Conference — Maurice Jones-Drew.
Formerly of UCLA and the Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders, the 5-foot-7 MJD accumulated 8,167 yards before retiring from the game. He now carries a keyboard.
Jones-Drew is an analyst for NFL.com who ranked all of the league's starting running backs 1-32.
He put Gaskin last.
In his assessment, Jones-Drew sort of dared the 5-foot-9 Gaskin to keep his job, indicating he was unconvinced the one-time Husky is the answer for Miami.
“Gaskin was a solid back for the Dolphins last season, averaging 4.1 yards per attempt on 142 carries," Jones Drew wrote. "But I need to see more. He has a real opportunity to be the bell cow and help Tua Tagovailoa in his first season as the full-time starter. Miami’s run game must be better than the 22nd-ranked outfit it was a year ago. It starts with Gaskin but that could change quickly if he can’t handle the load.”
That was his nice way of saying the Dolphins' have the worst ground game in the league.
Meantime, Miami general manager Chris Grier and coach Brian Flores seem comfortable with Gaskin. Mostly, they've drawn plaudits so far for making well-informed decisions in rebuilding the franchise.
They already would have brought another back on board through the draft or free agency if they weren't confident Gaskin could do the job.
The Dolphins instead chose to upgrade their speed options in the receiving corps around their running back, which could make him a lot more effective.
“Coming out of mini-camp, I was very pleased with how I did, how this team looks,” Gaskin said in a recent KJR radio interview. “It's a lot of speed on the outside. I think that’s the biggest takeaway that I had. We’ve got Jakeem [Grant], [Jaylen] Waddle, Will Fuller. We’ve got some fast dudes so I’m excited to see that.”
With this ex-Husky, people don't realized Gaskin tends to grow on you. He doesn't overwhelm you with his size, doesn't dazzle you over with his physicality, but he's just been a solid, dependable producer, both on the collegiate and NFL levels.
Besides running and receiving with notable success — and it's hard to forget his nifty 59-yard scoring catch and sprint against the Raiders on national TV — Gaskin, it's been pointed out, is one of the best pass-protecting backs in the NFL. Pro Football Focus docked him for just 2 quarterback hurries in 71 snaps.
With the ball in his hands, Gaskin averaged 58.4 rushing yards per game last season, which ranked 19th, and he averaged 97.2 yards overall from scrimmage, which ranked him in the top 10 among all running backs.
He also was one of only nine running backs with at least 500 rushing yards and 350 receiving yards, with his totals again accruing in just 10 games.
Gaskin should be motivated to show Jones-Drew that he's not the worst starting NFL running back.
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