MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 16: Kalen Ballage #27 of the Miami Dolphins warms up before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 16, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

When the Miami Dolphins started training camp many were making a lot of Kalen Ballage running with the first team. Almost two weeks later, no one is surprised.

Hard work has paid off for Kalen Ballage and it is giving him an opportunity that doesn’t come often for many running backs. This off-season he did everything he needed to do and now, entering his second NFL season, he is ready to show the coaches he can handle it.

Entering the off-season there were two separate thoughts. One, the Dolphins might try and trade Kenyan Drake and run with Ballage. Two, the Dolphins were going to hang on to Drake and he would start at running back. You really have to love off-season speculation.

When camp started there was a lot being made about Ballage taking the first team reps and not Drake. Some, who questioned Adam Gase’s decition to use Ballage instead of Drake last year, were wondering out loud if something was wrong with Drake. The answer is still no but it is becoming clearer that Ballage has an upper hand in the competition.

So what changed? If you ask Ballage he will tell you that he spent the off-season working on everything from conditioning to catching the football. He showed up for off-season mini-camps ready to go and the coaching staff took notice. Already a talented runner, Ballage fine tuned his game and it paid off for him.

When asked where he got better at, Ballage said everywhere.

“Everywhere. I think that even in just a year, I’ve just matured so much physically, mentally. Just kind of knowing what to do and when to do it, so I think that (I’ve improved) in all aspects in my game.” – Miami Dolphins press transcripts

Ballage is very close to Kenyan Drake and as Drake enters his 4th season in the league, Ballage has been paying close attention to what Drake does and learns from him as well. He calls him his brother and the competition between the two is making both of them better.

Drake is familiar with the situation. When he entered the league he was watching behind Jay Ajayi and after the trade to Philly, Drake become the guy. Ajayi watched Lamar Miller until he got his shot. As Ballage told the media, Frank Gore told him last season it was all about waiting for “your chance”. His chance may have finally come.

There is still a long way between now and the start of the season but Ballage doesn’t seem like the type that is going to sit by and let it play out. He has taken control of his body and mind and is applying it to the football field, to his game.