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Should the Miami Dolphins pursue Aaron Jones in free agency?

Matt Harmon and Charles McDonald discuss potential landing spots for free agent running back Aaron Jones and his reported contract request of $15 million per year. Hear the full conversation on the Yahoo Fantasy Football Forecast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Video Transcript

MATT HARMON: "The Athletic's" Sheil Kapadia believes Aaron Jones could get $15 million a year in free agency. There's another rumor out there that the "Miami Herald's" Barry Jackson reports. There's mutual interest between the Dolphins and Aaron Jones. That makes a lot of sense, that pairing. But $15 million a year with running-- it's always dicey when it comes to running backs because, Charles, they're obviously not people. So--

CHARLES MCDONALD: Yeah, that's right. They don't deserve to have rights, they don't deserve to eat, all the good stuff.

MATT HARMON: Yeah, we'll see if we let them vote, much less whether we give them $15 million a year.

CHARLES MCDONALD: The running back suffrage movement is coming, and Aaron Jones might be the leader. Look, in terms of him getting $15 million, I think I'll put that at a three, like kind of verging on it. But there are--

MATT HARMON: Starting to push it.

CHARLES MCDONALD: Starting to push it. There are teams that will still pay. I don't know if the Packers are gonna be that team. But it's just such a tough ask. $15 million on an average basis, the only people that are making that number are Ezekiel Elliott, Alvin Kamara, and Christian McCaffrey. And I think the Cowboys are at a point where they wish they could redo that one.

MATT HARMON: Yep.

CHARLES MCDONALD: Because he kind of hasn't done all that much. But Derrick Henry is at, what, $12.5 million?

MATT HARMON: 12.5, yeah.

CHARLES MCDONALD: That's kind of where you got to start, I think, if you're Aaron Jones. Of course he wants the $15 million. But I just kind of find it hard to believe that with everything that we keep knowing about running backs that he's gonna get that money. And it's tough, man, because he should ask for $15 million. And he should be pushing for all that he can.

It's not his fault that coronavirus happened and pooped on the cap space, and now he plays running back. People don't want to pay running backs. It's just a tough sell based on everything that we know about the position and how easy it can be to replace [INAUDIBLE]. I do think he's one of the best running backs in the league.

But in terms of Miami being interested, they should be all over this. They just really didn't have much of a ground game last year. And to be honest with you, I forgot who their two running backs were over the course of the season last year. So Aaron Jones, he should be in the running for them, and I wouldn't be surprised if he eventually gets a hefty, hefty contract from them. But getting up to $15 million per, that's tough to do, even with a team that's still flexible with cap like the Dolphins.

MATT HARMON: The two running backs for the Dolphins were Salvon Ahmed and Myles Gaskin. I have to know that because I do fantasy work, so I got to know every running back that breathes. Because they all get hurt, and then they all play at some point. So they actually put some decent production together. Listen, your boy over here started Salvon Ahmed in a couple of fantasy leagues here and there, and he actually put up a couple of good games.

So that would show that I think they have the right ecosystem to bring in an Aaron Jones-type who, from a resume perspective, averaged 1,500 yards from scrimmage the last two years, 30 total touchdowns the last two years. He's put up the numbers to command that $15 million per year salary.

It is just gonna be tough when a team looks at Derrick Henry, who I think Derrick could have pushed for $15 million. He could have really played hardball with the Titans but probably was just like-- I mean, for one, Derrick Henry, total gem. Nicest player in the NFL, I always say it. The coolest one out there. He probably just accepts this is the ecosystem. This is what it is. This is the best place for me to be.

And I think that marriage between Jones and the Dolphins could come to that, right? Because they're kind of one of the few teams, the Miami Dolphins, that have the luxury of a little extra cap space-- a lot of extra cap space, they're still up there as one of the most cap-heavy teams in the NFL-- and a need at the running back position. I mean, when you look at the teams that have the most cap space right now, it's like the Jaguars, the Jets, the Patriots, the Colts, Washington, maybe the Patriots.

I actually thought about that today too. What if the Patriots add Aaron Jones? Because they want to run the ball. They want to establish the run. But God almighty, they have a terrible running back depth chart. Are we doing the Rex Burkhead experience for the 100th year in a row? I'd really rather not. So I don't know. I do think, though, that it makes perfect sense for Jones and the Dolphins to find their way to each other.

CHARLES MCDONALD: Yeah, and I hope Jones gets his money. I just don't think that that's gonna be what's happening here.