NFL Rumors: C.J. Anderson Leaving Denver Broncos For Miami Dolphins

NFL rumors have been swirling around the Miami Dolphins ever since Lamar Miller decided to leave town and join the Houston Texans, forming a new partnership on offense with the recently signed Brock Osweiler. Dolphins head coach Adam Gase doesn’t want to start his first year as a head coach without a running game. According to Sports Illustrated, Miami is expected to acquire former Denver Broncos running back C.J. Anderson.

The deal between C.J. Anderson and the Miami Dolphins is reportedly for four years. It is worth around $18 million, which is a good price for a quality running back. The Dolphins really liked Lamar Miller, but they did not want to pay him the $26 million that the Houston Texans were willing to offer. Miller signed a four-year deal with the Texans. There’s a chance that Anderson might actually be just as productive for Miami as Miller was.

Whenever teams win the Super Bowl, there’s usually a mass exodus that follows. NFL teams want a piece of your success, so they sign away various members of your roster. Brock Osweiler left to join the Houston Texans rather than be the successor for Peyton Manning. Malik Jackson is reportedly on his way to the Jacksonville Jaguars, while taking jabs towards Denver Broncos management on the way because they refused to pay him.

As soon as Lamar Miller decided to leave for the Houston Texans, the Miami Dolphins started scrambling for a replacement. Jay Ajayi is too inexperienced to carry the load for the Dolphins. For various reason, Miami also lost out on some of the top free agent running backs. Doug Martin stayed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Chris Ivory signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Matt Forte signed with the New York Jets.

In addition to looking at C.J. Anderson, the Miami Dolphins also looked at Ronnie Hillman, who also played for the Denver Broncos last season. The connection is obvious because Dolphins head coach Adam Gase was the offensive coordinator for the Broncos at one point in time. He’s already familiar with both Anderson and Hillman, so it wouldn’t be all that difficult for Gase to implement either of them into the offensive scheme being put together for Miami.

Signing C.J. Anderson enables the Miami Dolphins to use their early round draft picks on other positions. Adam Gase is more than likely still going to spend at least one pick on a running back, but it won’t need to happen until the later rounds. Bringing in a rookie to compete with Jay Ajayi for the right to backup Anderson is a wise move. Gase might also opt for another veteran to be thrown into the mix to make sure that he has the right guy on the roster.

Then again, if the right running back falls to the Miami Dolphins in the early rounds, don’t be shocked if Adam Gase and general manager Chris Grier decide to pull the trigger. If Ohio State Buckeyes star Ezekiel Elliott or Alabama Crimson Tide star Derrick Henry aren’t off the board when the Dolphins choose with the eight overall selection, one of them could be wearing the teal and orange in their first season in the NFL.

Unless the Denver Broncos decide to match the offer, which seems unlikely because the contract has been structured to the point where it makes it difficult for them to fit the deal under their salary cap, C.J. Anderson is going to be playing for the Miami Dolphins next season. The move won’t shift the balance of power in the NFL, but it will allow the Dolphins to stay competitive.

[Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images]