2020 Miami Dolphins preview: Blake Ferguson needs to be very good

The Miami Dolphins drafted long-snapper, Blake Ferguson in the 2020 draft.

The Miami Dolphins will employ their third long-snapper in as many years as they try to find the right fit for the team’s rebuild.

Miami is hoping that by drafting a long-snapper, they can find a long-term solution to the position. After spending decades watching John Denney handle the duties without interruption, the new coaching staff in 2019 felt it was time to retire the aging veteran.

The Dolphins let Denney leave in favor of Taybor Pepper in 2019 and he did a decent job but apparently not enough to warrant a second season. The NFL is full of ironies and for Pepper, the irony of Miami drafting Ferguson came with ironic familiarity.

Ferguson and Pepper were childhood friends and after the Dolphins added Ferguson in the draft. Drafted in round six, Pepper said he was looking forward to the camp competition between the two long-time friends. It won’t happen.

Shortly after the draft’s conclusion, the Dolphins waived Pepper and in doing so gave the job to Ferguson. Now, Ferguson has to prove he can be good. The Dolphins have had a very good history of success with long-snappers.

When John Denney took over the role as the team’s LS, he did so taking the job from another long-time LS. Ed Perry, who served in the role for much of his eight seasons with Miami.

Ferguson isn’t expected to compete for another offensive line job and will stick strictly to long snapping for now. That is not likely to change considering that Ferguson sits around 229 pounds.

Still, the Dolphins saw something in him and now he will have his shot at making it in the NFL. At LSU, Ferguson played 52 games at the position and perhaps more importantly was named a team captain for two of his years at the school.