Ain’t nothin’ to cry about

Allow me to preface this by saying I know how outlandish it is to draw comparison to Kamara’s rookie season. I’m simply saying that I see parallels between the situation that lead to Kamara’s breakout and the situation Ballage finds himself in. Albeit, Tannehill is no Brees, Adam Gase is no Sean Payton, Miami’s offensive line is notably weaker than the Saints’, and there’s no Grade-A weapons to draw the defense’s attention. Alternatively, Mark Ingram is more entrenched than Kenyan Drake, who is projected to split early-down work with battle-worn future hall-of-famer, Frank Gore. Note how uncannily similar this is to the split between Ingram and Adrian Peterson from last season. Ballage, like Kamara, is a rookie satellite-back with a workhorse physical profile who is listed 3rd on the depth chart. In Ballage’s case, that’s a 6’2”, 230 lb. body with 4.4 wheels. Athleticism and versatility are what propelled Kamara to his place as the offense’s focal point. While it’s an uphill battle, Ballage presents a similar combination of attributes, with the underwhelming college resume to boot.

Knowshon Moreno is an interesting comparison. He’s not as big as Ballage, but he highlights the path to relevancy under Adam Gase. Moreno, much like Ballage, presented the best combination of size, athleticism and versatility in his offense’s backfield. Gore, at this point in his career, is no less the plodder than Montee Ball, and forgiving height, Drake and Ronnie Hillman are not dissimilar as low-BMI big-play artists with so-so hands. Overall, this Miami team is a mess. To be a nerd and quote Game of Thrones, “chaos is a ladder.” In an offense that lacks dynamic playmakers, or any recognizable identity, Ballage’s versatility could shine through. It’s not 100% crazy to claim his rise to prominence, but it’s close.

Personal approximation of outcome: 5%