Booker could be more than just a backup for Dolphins

By Adam Best  |   Friday, July 13, 2007  |  Comments( 14 )

Miami Dolphins
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Earlier this week, my column indicated that Miami Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown will have his best season as a pro in 2007. It wasn't an empty claim either, as I included a multitude of reasons to support it.

In my argument, I singled out the Dolphins' offseason personnel upgrade as the key to this improvement. The most significant new arrivals -- fullback Cory Schlesinger, head coach Cam Cameron and quarterback Trent Green -- are all on offense, which should benefit Brown.

While all three of those additions will indeed play pivotal roles in any potential rushing-game resurgence, one key addition was omitted. No, not receiver and return specialist Ted Ginn, the Dolphins' first-round pick.

Left out was RB Lorenzo Booker.

The most obvious way in which Booker will aid both Brown and the rushing attack is by supplying breathers for Brown.

Booker is too talented just to be a plain old backup, though. He's a change-of-pace back with home-run-hitting ability. The Madden-like moves and quickness he displayed during OTAs had his coaches and teammates raving. The big question is whether those skills will translate to full-contact NFL Sundays.

Personally, I think Booker can be a dangerous weapon in the NFL, and here's why.

Recently, players with skill sets similar to Booker's have been extremely successful. Last year, two rookie backs who are a lot like Booker -- Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-Drew and the Saints' Reggie Bush -- were invaluable parts of their team's respective offenses, despite the fact that neither player was his club's No. 1 RB. Now, I'm not saying that Booker has the same collegiate pedigree as either of the aforementioned players. He did show flashes of brilliance during college at Florida State, however, despite not getting the rock as often as many featured D-I backs.

Like Bush and Jones-Drew, he can also be used as a scat back or slot receiver. Booker's as fast as most receivers (his 40 has been clocked at 4.33), has soft hands and a history of big receiving plays -- he scored touchdowns on 57-and 71-yard receptions with the Seminoles.

Expect Cameron to find ways to get Booker on the field, even alongside Brown, and use his receiving talents to help Green and the offense. Remember, Green is accustomed to playing with the likes of Larry Johnson, Michael Bennett, Priest Holmes and Tony Richardson, backs who have good hands. He will have no problem finding and delivering catchable passes to Booker in stride.

Speaking of Cameron, last year as the San Diego Chargers' offensive coordinator, he found ways to get stud backup RB Michael Turner involved, despite the presence of NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson. Late in games -- when the Chargers had built leads and worn down opposing defenses -- Cameron often utilized Turner's game-breaking abilities. Despite receiving only 80 carries last season, Turner rushed for over 500 yards (half as much as Ronnie Brown, who toted the rock 241 times). He averaged a whopping 6.3 yards per carry and had a 20-plus-yard run about once every 10 attempts. Defenses had no answer for Turner late in games. Expect Cameron to utilize Booker in a similar fashion. The best news here is that while Booker may not have Turner's size and strength, he's a much better receiver.

The other reason Booker could succeed is that he's the rare type of player who can just flat out make defenders miss. Few players can receive poor blocking in front of them and still make positive yardage. Booker is one of them.

Booker likely won't be quite as dynamic as either Jones-Drew or Bush were a year ago, but he will be an integral part of Miami's offense. After struggling mightily to muster any kind of offense a last season, any production Booker can provide will definitely be welcomed by the Dolphins.

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CommentsComments: 14  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
jax		09:38 AM
07/13/2007
I am thinking that Booker will be used for some of the stretch, get to the edge plays that were so deadly with LT. Brown doesn't...
No.2
Budman		10:48 AM
07/13/2007
I can buy in on a good deal of the L. Booker hype but I remind all of you that I heard similar hype when a certain RB named John...
No.3
Da Fins		10:49 AM
07/13/2007
I'm all for Booker having a great year and career with Miami. But, there's a reason he was drafted in the 3rd round and not he...
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