Why Chase Edmonds is an ideal RB1 for the Dolphins’ offense

By Henry McKenna
FOX Sports AFC East Writer

Now entering his fifth year in the NFL, Chase Edmonds hasn’t been the go-to guy in a backfield since starring for the Fordham Rams. 

In his four seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, he spent time behind David Johnson, then Kenyan Drake, then James Conner. Edmonds never ascended into an RB1 role, serving as either a change-of-pace back or just a backup.

Still, in March he inked a two-year, $12.1 million deal with the Miami Dolphins, the second-largest contract among free-agent running backs during the 2022 offseason. Only Tampa Bay‘s Leonard Fournette ($7 million per year) eclipsed Edmonds in terms of average annual value. Edmonds even signed for more than Atlanta‘s Cordarrelle Patterson, who was uniquely productive as a runner (618 yards, six touchowns) and as a pass-catcher (52 receptions, 548 yards, five touchdowns) with the Falcons last season. 

The Dolphins made it clear they have high expectations for the 26-year-old Edmonds. Miami, though, did hedge its bet, also signing running back Raheem Mostert, who followed new Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel from San Francisco, where he was the offensive coordinator.

Edmonds is accustomed to competition and seems to feel good about his free-agency decision.

“I wanted to play for Coach McDaniel because the outside zone scheme intrigued me,” he said during training camp. “I felt like that’s something I could really do with my skillset. I feel like it fits my abilities, and it’s something that once I get a grasp of, I’ll be an expert at it.”

Last season, McDaniel propelled the 49ers’ rushing offense to seventh in the league — up from 15th in 2020. The increased production came largely from an uptick in carries, but quantity didn’t diminish quality. In both seasons, the 49ers averaged 4.3 yards per carry. Even with defenses expecting the run more often in 2021, McDaniel worked to make the offense unpredictable. He experimented with a versatile role for Deebo Samuel, who served as a running back/receiver. And of course, McDaniel helped coach up excellent execution of the Shanahan-style outside zone running scheme.

The scheme gets the offensive linemen moving laterally across the field — rather than vertically in other schemes. It sounds counterintuitive when the idea of north-south running is coached as being fundamentally good. But the idea is to put the offensive linemen on the move toward the sideline, which puts the defensive linemen in the uncomfortable position of simultaneously attempting to attack downfield while covering the width of the field. The shifting line also moves the play away from linebackers and instead engages defensive backs, who aren’t typically as comfortable in the run game.

All the while, offensive linemen aren’t moving upfield. That means that when the team wants to throw the ball, it can run play-action with the same movement from the offensive line. The offense can run RPOs (run-pass option) or play-action without the offensive line serving as a tell for the defense. The O-linemen can do basically the same thing every play, which makes the offense less predictable.

For Mostert, the system is almost exactly what he ran last year in San Francisco. 

“I know exactly what [McDaniel] is going to be doing,” he said. “I’ve been with him for six years, so nothing really shocked me.”

Edmonds has needed to embrace the unfamiliar.

“The scheme that we run is a little different than [Edmonds] was used to, which we knew going in because we were evaluating him and we kind of projected it,” McDaniel said.

Not every running back can thrive in this system. It requires a speedy yet powerful back, who can identify a hole as it’s opening and fire into that space to get upfield when the time is right. But both McDaniel and Edmonds agree that, while he doesn’t have any experience in the system, the former Cardinal is an ideal fit.

“I just like how with outside zone, you’re stretching the defense laterally,” Edmonds said. “When you’re displacing the defense, you’re making them have to cover a lot more field. It opens up certain lanes and certain holes that I’m able to take advantage of. 

“Early in training camp, we were running an outside zone to the left and there was an unblocked man in the hole. But because you have everyone stretching laterally, there can be an unblocked man in the hole and I can still press that hole, make him miss. … I feel like just playing cat and mouse with certain defenders, and knowing angles and knowing lanes and being an expert at that.”

Similarly, McDaniel said in a press conference that the Dolphins want Edmonds to “press the line of scrimmage” and that the running back is doing a nice job of that. It’s always a good sign when the coach and player are echoing each other about what they’re teaching and learning, respectively.

What does it mean to press the line of scrimmage? Well, it’s about using blockers as a barrier from both the defensive linemen, who are engaged in blocks with the offensive line, and the linebackers, who are waiting for the running back to hit a hole. By pressing up against the offensive linemen, the running back can disguise which hole he’ll use to get upfield. That makes for a later reaction time for the linebackers, which makes for more yards from the running back.

“What’s been really, really awesome to see is his feel for the game. His cerebral approach is real,” McDaniel said. “Sometimes, that cerebral approach means they just know all the assignments, which uniquely he does. He knows every receiver assignment, and he’s understanding of the blocking schemes. But more so, he has a combination of feel to apply abstract coaching points.”

Some run-heavy offenses have the unfortunate disadvantage of facing eight-man boxes, meaning the opposing defense loads the front seven with — you guessed it — an eighth man. The 49ers have regularly faced that issue in recent years. But the Dolphins? With receivers Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill on the outside, the offense should be just fine.

“I don’t think there are going to be too many teams that will dare to play eight men in the box,” Edmonds said.

That’s the beauty of the situation that McDaniel and Edmonds are stepping into. McDaniel is coming from San Francisco and Edmonds from Arizona, but they’re both set up for success in Miami. McDaniel and third-year QB Tua Tagovailoa have two star wideouts, two impressive running backs and tight end Mike Gesicki. Even the offensive line improved this offseason, with left tackle Terron Armstead joining the team from the Saints. The Dolphins should be dangerous. And that’s because their new pieces seem to have fallen into place perfectly. 

Edmonds is one of those perfectly fitting jigsaw pieces. He may not have the experience in the system that Mostert has. But after a successful offseason, Edmonds is likely to be the top running back for the first time since college.

Prior to joining FOX Sports as the AFC East reporter, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @McKennAnalysis.