Miami Dolphins' Lamar Miller a man in motion

There seems to be a new starting running back in Miami, and it is someone quite familiar with South Florida.

Lamar Miller has been turning some heads during spring workouts, picking up the carries that were left when Reggie Bush signed as a free agent with the Detroit Lions.

And he is picking them up just fine.

“Well, that’s everybody’s goal, to be a great running back in this league,” Miller told reporters. “I’m just trying to get better every day. I got a great offensive line that should make my job easier. I’m just trying to get better as a player overall.”

That is what the Miami Dolphins were hoping when they let Bush go to Detroit in the offseason.

The Dolphins drafted Miller in the fourth round of the 2012 draft. The University of Miami standout has been getting the ball a lot early in the workouts, and quarterback Ryan Tannehill has liked what he has seen, saying on NFL Network that Miller was “way ahead” of the other running backs.

Miller showed flashes during his rookie campaign, rushing for 250 yards, an average of nearly 5 yards per carry.

But head coach Joe Philbin is quick to point out it is early and the race to be the starting running back is “wide open.”

But he likes what he has seen.

“We liked the guys we had. We like the guys we have in the locker room — we thought there was potential there,” Philbin told reporters in Miami. “We thought there was opportunity for growth and development out of those guys, and we’ll see how that goes here in the next couple weeks and months.”

The team still has Daniel Thomas, and drafted University of Florida running back Mike Gillislee.

While some may take a quick look and say the Dolphins are in trouble at running back, Miller says, “let them talk.”

“It just pushes you more. It’s a motivation just to show the guys who doubt you,” Miller said. “You just try to take your game to the next level to show them what you’re capable of doing.”


(floridatoday.com)