The Miami Dolphins need offensive line “help” not an overhaul
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins are expected to be big players in free agency and offensive line is a position that many believe they will target. They don’t need an overhaul.
Fans of the Dolphins point out that Tua Tagovailoa can’t be completely judged because of the horrendous offensive line he has played behind. To that, I completely agree. The Dolphins line has been atrocious. But. There is always a “but”.
Miami fans have complained just as much about the coaching as the players that Miami has drafted. Let’s consider the coaching staff and we will start with the oldest player on the Dolphins offensive line.
Greg Mancz has six years of NFL experience but only one with the Dolphins and last year wasn’t great for him. Jesse Davis has five years of experience and while we all can agree it is time to move on, consider this statistical marvel
Jesse Davis 2017 to present: Positions- RG, RT, LT, LG – 2 head coaches, 5 offensive coordinators, 6 offensive line coaches.
We can pretty much stop right here. The rest of the Oline is younger and most have gone through some of the worst coaches in Dolphins history at the position. In fact, you could argue that many of them are not qualified to run the unit. Consider that Lemuel JeanPierre took a demotion this year to stay with the team after coaching Oline last year. He will be an assistant this year. Why does that matter? Because even he said he needs to get better implying he wasn’t ready.
Matt Applebaum has an NFL resume and a college resume and is good at his job. He will have his work cut out for him but will he see the Dolphins current roster as a problem or something that just needs to be coached?
Miami is likely going to look for free agent offensive lineman but they could skip signing a center and leaving Dieter in place for one more year to see how he transitions. Robert Hunt is a guard that continues to improve and there is value in Solomon Kindley as a back up.
Jesse Davis is the liability at left tackle but will the Dolphins give up on Austin Jackson and Liam Eichenberg after two seasons and one for L.E? Not likely.
This would imply that Miami may look for a left tackle and maybe some help at guard but I’m not sure they overhaul it yet and I am not sure that they need to. Not if Applebaum can mold them and develop them.