How Might Miami Replace Ronnie Brown?

The Dolphins announced Wednesday that leading running back Ronnie Brown had been placed on injured reserve with a right foot injury, ending his 2009 season. Brown had accumulated 648 yards rushing and eight touchdowns, plus a passing touchdown, and stepped in at the "quarterback" spot in Miami's Wildcat offense.

Miami may be as equipped as any team in the NFL to lose its No. 1 back and still run a consistent offense. Ricky Williams will take over as the team's starter, with guys like Ted Ginn, Jr., and rookie quarterback Pat White capable of picking up extra Wildcat duties. Still, Miami's offense puts a lot of pressure on the running back position -- behind Williams now is second-year guy Lex Hilliard, who has zero NFL carries.

But there are lots of recognizable free agents available, should Miami go that route. A look at some of the possibilities:

- Edgerrin James: At 31 years old, James doesn't look like he has much left in the tank. Arizona cut him way back in April, then Seattle did the same after James played seven games in a Seahawks uniform, rushing for 125 yards on 46 carries -- a measly 2.7 yards per carry (ypc) average. He's certainly not the James of old, and he wouldn't really fit in anywhere in the Wildcat. Still, he's got an extreme experience advantage over Hilliard or Smith, and might take a backup role in hopes of somehow reviving his career.

- T.J. Duckett: Another guy that the Seahawks decided they'd be better off without -- and another guy that doesn't really fit with the Wildcat -- Duckett could still serve a role as a short-yardage guy who spells Williams for 8-10 carries a game. He had just a 2.8 ypc mark in 16 games with Seattle last season, but did find the end zone eight times.

- Dominic Rhodes: It's a bit surprising Rhodes hasn't found a home somewhere -- though he can blame Buffalo for some of that, after the Bills signed him in the offseason, then cut him prior to September. He had 22 starts between 2006-08, including holding down the fort as Indianapolis' No. 1 back through the entire '06 year. Is he a superstar? No, and he never was, but he's a guy that you can count on for some decent stats.

- Tatum Bell/Michael Pittman: Why are they together? Because they're playing on the same UFL team, the Florida Tuskers. And both played for Denver in 2008 -- with Bell averaging almost six yards per rush, and Pittman topping four. Either guy would be a serviceable second back, with Pittman able to do some blocking as well.

- Noah Herron: Another UFL guy (New York Sentinels), Herron could be intriguing to the Dolphins because he has versatility -- and that's something extremely coveted for the Wildcat and all of head coach Tony Sparano's sets. Herron's spent time on the Steelers, Packers and Bucs, but his 2006 season in Green Bay best showed off his assets. That season, he rushed 37 times for 150 yards, while also catching 29 passes for 211 yards.

- Warrick Dunn: Longtime vet with ties to the state of Florida returning for one last hurrah? It's an extreme longshot, but Dunn's ability to run and catch might make sense.

There are a few other random names out there -- Najeh Davenport, Selvin Young and Maurice Hicks, to name a couple.

Chances are, though, that the Dolphins will try to ride it out with what they have, at least initially. Sparano said that Hilliard would get an opportunity to help ease the burden, and it's hard to argue that any of the available free agents out there are that much of an upgrade.

Hilliard is a solidly built back -- he doesn't have spectacular speed, but had a knack during his college days at Montana for picking up yards up the middle, and he graded out well as a pass-catcher prior to the 2008 draft. Miami may also give a few more carries to fullback Lousaka Polite.

None of the options behind Williams on Miami's roster are even in the same ballpark as Brown -- but, then again, neither are the free agent RBs lingering on the market.