Miami Dolphins: Is it Time to Bring Back Jay Ajayi?

It wasn’t too long ago, the Miami Dolphins traded away Jay Ajayi to fan protest. His productivity kept the team’s spark going, set the tone for the offense, and was at times the lone bright spot in a poor offense. Then came the friction between Ajayi and head coach Adam Gase. For some reason, behind the scenes, these two did not get along, and the Dolphins would later trade Ajayi to the Philadelphia Eagles. Ajayi would go on to win a Super Bowl, Gase would go on to be fired.

Fast forward to the 2019 season. The Miami Dolphins appear to be turning all stones in search of a running back to carry the load. Of course, the new regime could be looking to create competition and force someone to step up. With returning running backs Kenyan Drake and Kallen Ballage, the Dolphins went out and drafted back to back running backs in the seventh round of this year’s draft. Aside from that, Kenneth Farrow from the now-defunct AAF and troubled running back Mark Walton has been brought in as free agents.

Maybe the Dolphins are just bringing in players to round out depth at camp, but after last season, maybe the team isn’t quite as hopeful they’ve found the right combination going forward. With Ajayi being free to sign wherever he chooses, should Miami bring him in on a visit?

When Ajayi was drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, it was considered a steal despite his risk of a long term knee injury. Just a few short seasons later and the player who once gave life to the Miami Dolphins offense is now visiting teams trying to find a new home, still with injury concerns. The fact that Jay Ajayi hasn’t been scooped up despite being the same spark that helped fuel the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl run is telling. Teams obviously have concerns over his long term use to the team.

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For the Dolphins, on the other hand, Ajayi should be yet another low risk/high reward player. If they have enough running backs in-house that can pick up the load should Ajayi go down what’s the harm in bringing him in? They know just how productive he can be. He provides a change of pace from Kenyan Drake and would be a great compliment to Ballage. If the Dolphins can get him on a contract that is team friendly, fans who never wanted to see him go would sure be on board with bringing him back at the right cost.

Then again, with the focus on a new direction, the Dolphins might not want to bring back a hassle from the old regime. Sure, having a playmaker of Jay Ajayi’s caliber in house is always a plus, but the culture change might not welcome back an old flame. The NFL is a bunch of moving pieces trying to get a machine going in the right direction, but far too few times does a former player/team go back to old stomping grounds. Ajayi would be a comfortable fit down in Miami, but he or the Dolphins might not want the reunion.