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The takeaway from what Dolphins did at running back. And deadline passes for key starter

A six-pack of Miami Dolphins notes on a Thursday:

▪ One thing we’ve learned about Dolphins general manager Chris Grier: Occasionally, he’s comfortable sticking with an entire position group that was previously productive, even if there are more expensive and tantalizing options available.

Grier did that with the linebacker room last season, bringing back Jerome Baker, Elandon Roberts and Duke Riley for 2022 before replacing Roberts with David Long this offseason.

Grier did it again this year by keeping all four of his running backs -- Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr., Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed. Between the four of them, they will make a combined $7 million this season, potentially more with incentives.

That’s less than what it would have cost for one season of four-time Pro Bowler and Miami Central alum Dalvin Cook. The Dolphins explored acquiring the Opa-locka native in a trade, but the Minnesota Vikings never seemed inclined to deal him, even though he’s pricey for a running back, with non-guaranteed salaries of $10.4 million, $11.9 million and $12.9 million due the next three seasons.

And the Dolphins weren’t inclined to trade draft picks for elite but expensive backs Derrick Henry (due $10.5 million in 2023 in the final year of his contract) or Austin Ekeler, who hopes the Chargers trade him to a team willing to pay him more than the $6.3 million he’s due to earn this fall.

Henry, Ekeler and Cook would all have been bell cow backs, and acquiring any of the three could have been justified.

But with Miami well over the 2024 cap, financial restraint is understandable after Miami traded for three expensive Pro Bowlers in the past year (Tyreek Hill, Bradley Chubb and Jalen Ramsey) and gave $43 million in guaranteed money to Terron Armstead.

Also, more and more teams are opting to go with cheaper backs, because supply outweighs demand at the position.

The Dolphins’ inconsistent run game in 2022 was more the byproduct of the Dolphins not always committing enough to it, and inconsistent blocking at times, rather than deficiencies with the backs.

Only Tampa Bay ran less than Miami last season, and Mike McDaniel should have stuck with the run more in the the Dec. 17 Saturday night game against Buffalo, when Mostert was dissecting Buffalo’s defense.

Even though Miami’s 4.3 average yards per carry was average (18th in the league), Mostert and Wilson tied for 11th among all qualifying backs in per carry average at 4.9.

And keep in mind that Mostert averaged 3.52 yards after contact, sixth best among all NFL running backs.

Also keep this in mind: Mostert and Wilson, who signed two-year deals, have no guaranteed money after 2023.

So if the Vikings move on from Cook after 2023 instead of paying him nearly $12 million in 2024, the Dolphins - if they choose - will have a chance to pounce on a player who likely would welcome a return to his hometown. He’ll turn 28 this August.

FYI: Wilson’s two-year, $6 million contract includes $2.64 million guaranteed - including his 2023 salary and a $1.56 million signing bonus. The deal has incentives based around team improvement in rushing and receiving yards. He also get $15,000 every time he’s on the active roster for a game.

▪ Last Friday’s guarantee deadline for linebacker Jerome Baker quietly passed, meaning Baker’s $8.4 million salary is now fully guaranteed for 2023.

▪ New Dolphins linebacker David Long was taken aback when Titans coach Mike Vrabel, in January, called him a “repeat offender” with soft tissue injuries. Hamstring injuries sidelined him for seven games in 2021 and final five games in 2022.

“If you watch film since my rookie year to the end of this year, every play, I lay it out on the line,” Long said this week. “So that was a surprise to me. I feel like it kind of created a narrative a little bit as far as how I take care of my body. If you ask anybody, I’m a first one in and last guy out type of guy. So I know he knows that as well. It really just put a bigger chip [on my shoulder] because I know what type of player I am.”

Long said that Titans never conveyed that concern to him: “I took it with a grain of salt. I’m not really much of a media person like ‘why did you single me out?’”

▪ ESPN’s Keyshawn Johnson calls Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey the best cornerback duo in the league “if they both show up like three years ago. Vic Fangio will put them in position to be successful. These are two long dudes.”

But Johnson was troubled that Ramsey, in his view, is now “always looking for safety help. He’s way better than that. He’s got to refocus. He had a down year this past year. But he’s certainly one of the top four corners in the National Football League. He’s got length. He’s aggressive. He’s not afraid to mix it up.”

▪ Ramsey said last week that the goal is not merely to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but to do so in his first year of eligibility.

“Honestly, I think I am a Hall of Famer but I’m trying to be a first ballot Hall of Famer,” he said. “I want to be looked at in the same conversation as like Darrelle Revis, Charles Woodson and Deion Sanders. So individually, that’s where I’m headed. That’s my motivation and my mindset.”

▪ Ramsey loves the upside of this defense: “We’ve got some young hungry pass rushers. Christian [Wilkins] who is going to run everywhere around the field and make a ton of tackles. We’re going to have fun.

“On paper, I feel like this [secondary] is the best one. Obviously, with me and ‘X’ [Xavien Howard] on the outside, and you got the young guys – Jevon [Holland], we just got DeShon Elliott, Brandon [Jones], Kader [Kohou]. So I think we have a good secondary on paper if you look at it. But we got to put the work in. I mean we can speak it as much as we want to, but we’re going to have to go out there and prove it and that’s what we’re planning to do.”