Did Miami Dolphins off-season moves bring “culture change?”

Daniel Kilgore

It is only natural to talk about Daniel Kilgore after Mike Pouncey. Kilgore was acquired by trade from the San Francisco 49’ers hours after it was reported that Pouncey would be let go. Kilgore has three years left on a team friendly deal that he signed in February.

The trade only cost the Dolphins a swap of 7th round draft picks. It is unclear why exactly the 49’ers opted to move on from Kilgore. He signed a three year extension a month earlier but then the 49’ers signed the former Giants center to a five-year contract. He is four years younger than the 30-year-old Kilgore.

Kilgore didn’t seem to fit into the plans for San Francisco after the other center was added. He was due a $2.4 million roster bonus a day after the trade was made. Kilgore was drafted in the 5th round of the 2011 draft and will give a veteran presence to the line alongside of Josh Sitton.

At his best, Kilgore should be an adequate center for the Dolphins but he will not likely reach the level of play that Mike Pouncey had displayed when healthy. The problem was simply that Pouncey couldn’t stay healthy, consistently. The Dolphins are hoping that Kilgore can.