‘He’s a guru.’ For Dolphins’ new offensive additions, Mike McDaniel was top selling point
Chase Edmonds is like a lot of Dolphins fans: he’s seen the work of Mike McDaniel from afar and intrigued by what it could look like in Miami.
For Edmonds, one of the team’s newest running backs, he watched McDaniel with the San Francisco 49ers over the past few seasons as a member of the division rival Arizona Cardinals and was left with a strong impression of the 39-year-old head coach tasked with leading the Dolphins.
“I really believe that he’s a guru,” Edmonds said on a virtual news conference Monday as the team introduced its free-agent signings. “I was told he was a guru from players that I trust and that he was a really good player-coach as well. So, I’m kind of putting my faith in him. I feel like he’s a creative guy. He’s going to find a way to utilize all his players that we have on the offensive side of the ball, find a way to utilize what we’re all good at, what we’re best at and keeping it at that.
“And I think that’s really important for just a player’s development in this league. When someone or when a coaching staff asks a guy to do too much, that’s when you kind of see the mistakes. But if you ask a guy to do what he’s comfortable with, if you ask a guy to do what he’s [good] at, what he’s best at, that’s when you see the best version of that player. And I think McDaniel can get that out of us offensively.”
It’s no coincidence that during the first week of free agency, seven of the Dolphins’ eight outside free-agent signings were on offense, where McDaniel has the responsibility of turning around a unit that ranked 22nd in scoring in 2021.
While the Dolphins are still waiting out potentially their biggest signing of the offseason with Pro-Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead visiting Monday, the first wave of free agency served as the early stages of crafting McDaniel’s grand vision for the offense.
The start of free agency began with a series of explosive transactions – from market-setting signings to the trading of All-Pro players – but the Dolphins’ first reported signing was Edmonds, a back who hasn’t run for over 1,000 yards in any of his four seasons but fits as not only a runner in McDaniel’s zone scheme but a pass-catcher.
Days later, the Dolphins doubled down on a position McDaniel values by signing Raheem Mostert, a speedy though oft-injured running back who has had success with him in San Francisco. In some cases, past relationships led to reunions, whether that be Mostert, wide receiver Trent Sherfield or fullback Alec Ingold, who was with the Raiders when new offensive coordinator Frank Smith coached tight ends.
“Mike is a genius,” Sherfield said. “The way that he’s able to break down just the defense and he’s able to put players in position to make plays, it’s honestly really amazing. With him – Kyle Shanahan also had a big part of that as well, too – that whole offensive staff over there in San Fran, they both did a great job. Mike being in charge of the run game and having the ability with the pass game and everything like that. Like I said, he’s a mastermind and I can’t wait to get into the offense. Obviously I know a little bit of it and everything like that should be a little bit of carryover but I’m just getting ready to get to work.”
In other cases, the Dolphins just targeted a player who they saw as a fit in McDaniel’s scheme, such as wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. and offensive lineman Connor Williams, who said zone blocking with the Dallas Cowboys “was one of the best things we did.”
Either way, McDaniel’s standing as one of the NFL’s most innovative offensive minds was a common theme in bringing players to Miami.
“Coach McDaniel, his reputation precedes himself,” said Ingold, “so just hearing from – as soon as we got that call from [general manager] Chris Grier that the situation, that we had a deal in place, it was a done deal. I was excited to work with this coaching staff. Obviously I have a relationship with Frank and then getting to meet Mike on Thursday was outstanding. So it was good to sit in the office, hang out, talk ball and just kind of get a vision for this team and just find that role and what we can do here.”
To some extent, the Dolphins offense under McDaniel is clear, set to feature influences of the zone running scheme McDaniel grew up on dating to his time as a ball-boy for the Mike Shanahan-led Denver Broncos. And yet, it’s still unknown and malleable, with McDaniel reiterating his commitment to molding his offense to the skill set of his players.
Far from a finished product, the Dolphins’ newest offensive additions, much like the franchise’s top decision-makers, are placing their trust in McDaniel to bring his vision to life.
“I think the image of the team is like a living and breathing organism right now,” said Williams, who may start at left guard in 2022. “Once we get on the field and once the team starts coming to life and seeing who we are and what our identity is, I think that’s when it will start to be more clear. I don’t think until we get on the field will that become more relevant.”
This story was originally published March 21, 2022 at 5:50 PM.
