Training Camp Preview: Centers and Guards
By Brian Miller
The offensive line is perhaps the biggest question on offense….yet again.
In what has become the annual, will they or won’t they, the offensive line has been shuffled and the top free agents were passed over. If there is good news to look at, for the first time in 4 years, the offensive line will have an entire training camp to line up in the same spots, with one quarterback playing on the first unit. Continuity will not be excuse.
This year also saw something new, draft picks used on offensive lineman, and at least one, Samson Satele, is penciled in as a starter. Whether that is good news or not will be one of the things to watch this training camp and the offensive line.
The Roster:
Center:
Drew Mormino
Rex Hadnot
Samson Satele
Jonathan Ingram
Guards:
Chris Liwinskie
Dan Stevenson
Tala Esera
Stephen Parker
The Dolphins Situation:
The offensive line is once again the center of attention going into training camp. This year however they will be the main focus as unlike years past, the QB situation is one that is not unsettled. Vernon Carey has been moved to LT and last years Center, Rex Hadnot finds himself playing Guard. The Dolphins have seen 2 rookies working with the first unit during mini-camp and may by the end of training camp name both as starters. If all of that is not enough, one guy to watch for is not even on the roster. Pete Kendall is a likely holdout and could get cut and is the hottest name associated with becoming a Miami Dolphin.
The Centers (as listed by the Dolphins home web site):
"Samson Satele: Is there any other name associated with the offensive line that has received more press than this man? Already lining up as the number 1 Center, Satele has pushed Rex Hadnot to the Guard position. Make no mistake, the Dolphins feel and hope that Satele will be the anchor on this unit for the next 12 years, if not more."
"Satele will struggle at times and in TC he will likely look lost and out of his league, he is a rookie. But with each passing day, he should improve here and there, and by the end of TC, he should be ready to go…provided of course that he does in fact improve. Samson Satele will be watched closely by fans and media alike. There is intrigue surrounding the 2nd round pick. He still has weaknesses, he is a little short for an Olineman and Hawaii did not use a pro-style blocking system. Still, his upside potential is huge, and he has the right attitude, strength, and natural ability to be good."
"Drew Mormino: Mormino is another rookie who spent some time with the first unit, but at the Guard position. He will likely stay at guard and will battle it out with Chris Liwienski for the left guard position. Mormino was a college Center but has played a little guard. Still, his struggles during mini-camp took him off the first unit and back to the 2nd. It is because of the play of the LG spot that has many talking Kendall. Mormino is talented, but he is still a project. He should have no problems making the team. Still, he will battle this training camp with Chris Liwienski who thus far himself has been less than impressive. This may be a matter of who is the better of the two rather than finding the best player to play it. If there is a question mark on the offensive line, and there are a few, this is the one spot who’s question mark is in BOLD."
"Rex Hadnot: Rex did a decent job last year. He was not stellar but he was one of the brighter spots on the offensive line. Still, he has been moved to the starting RG spot. That means that of the Centers listed on the Dolphins Web site, only 2 of them will actually be Centers."
"Hadnot will not have to compete for a spot, he already has it. Still it will be worth watching how he makes the transition from Center to Guard."
"Jonathan Ingram: Ingram will be the back-up to Satele. If Satele somehow can not succeed as the starting Center, look for Hadnot to move back rather than Ingram to take over. Should Ingram take over the starting job, it will likely be a message to Satele to get it together. Don’t look for much of a battle at the Center spot. It’s Sateles’ to lose."
The Guards:
"Chris Liwienski: This is the position to watch the most in terms of production quality. The LG position is between Drew Mormino and Liwienski and neither have impressed the coaches. Chris was brought in to add some veteran leadership but has struggled in mini-camps with the playbook and the schemes. Still, the Oline coach is probably the best in the business, Hudson Houck."
The LG spot will be the position to watch. Whether it is Mormino or Chris is not the concern, it is the quality of the play that they provide. The important thing will be consistency and whoever starts here needs to hang on to the spot so that the rest of the line stay in tune. If your going to watch a position on the line, this is the one. If your looking for a battle, this is the one. Liwienski should be able to win this job, he has been in the league for 9 years. The fact that he is competing against a rookie is not going to be the highlight of that career.
"Dan Stevenson: Stevenson was a 6th round pick by the Patriots in 06. He was signed by the Dolphins after being released off the practice squad. He is a project by has some potential. Unfortunately he needs some time to develop and is a candidate to be on the practice squad again. He will not make many highlight editions of the media this summer as his chief concern will be to make the roster."
"Tala Esera and Stephen Parker: Both guards are rookies and have both upside and downside. Esera has a little more upside but still has to work on his foot work and his body leverage. Parker has good hands but like Esera has to work on his mechanics. He can keep the opposition in front of him, but can get beat at the line of scrimmage."
"Only one of these two are likely to make the final roster. Judging by the intensity alone, Esera probably has a slight edge. That is not to say that Parker does not have intensity, but Esera is fueled partially by the other Hawaiians intensity and that kind of power can be catching. If I were a betting man, my money would be on Esera over Parker. Still, if the Oline is what you want to watch and you enjoy rookie battles, this one may be worht watching. Just don’t expect one of them to emerge as a starter."
Outlook/Predictions:
The offensive line is shaky but, they will have the opportunity to spend the entire offseason together learning to play along side of each other. Satele should be able to handle the duties of the Center spot and Ingram will be the backup. The RG spot is Hadnots and the LG is up for grabs with Liwienski having an upper hand with Mormino learning the ropes behind him. Parker and Esera will battle for what likely could be one spot and one spot only between the two of them. The Guard is a weak position for the Dolphins which is why the release of Kendall would make for an interesting scenario.
In addition to watching who is on the team and the situation with Kendall, keep an eye on former Cardinal guard Milford Brown. He has contacted the Dolphins but the Fins have not made a move. The Dolphins need some help, and it is not unrealistic to assume that one starter on this years unit, is not on the roster yet.