Playing the role of Devils Advocate with Dolphins Jesse Davis

Jesse Davis holds the ire of almost every Miami Dolphins fan on the planet and the only reason he is still a discussion, is because he still has a job. But what if we are wrong about him?

It isn’t a popular opinion but I like Jesse Davis. Yes, I think he should be released but not for the reasons you may think. I think he deserves a shot to play with a really good offensive coach because honestly, he hasn’t that in Miami. Not once. So let’s play “Devils’ Advocate” here for a moment.

Davis has been with the Dolphins since 2017. An undrafted free agent who bucked the trend and made an NFL roster, and then a started.

Jesse Davis has played just about every position along the offensive line but he is more of a guard than a tackle. He started at right guard for his first 26 games then moved out to right tackle, then moved to left tackle and finally back to right tackle last year where he failed, miserably.

In his seasons with Miami since 2017 he faced more uncertainty than any other offensive linemen on the roster.

2017

• Adam Gase
• Clyde Christiansen
• Chris Foerster – Oline coach

2018

• Adam Gase
• Dowell Loggains
• Jeremiah Washburn – Oline coach

2019

• Brian Flores
• Chad O’Shea
• Dave Deguglielmo – Oline coach (replaced the original Oline coach who was fired after 4 days of camp)

2020

• Brian Flores
• Chan Gailey
• Steve Marshall – Oline coach

2021

• Brian Flores
• Godsey/Studesville
• Lemuel Jeanpierre – Oline coach

Many fans are currently talking about how Mike McDaniel, Frank Smith, and new offensive line coach Matt Applebaum will improve the offensive line play because they can coach the line to be better. Of all the players on the roster, Davis is the one who has been through the most. The team player that has moved from spot to spot because of the whim of a coach. Yet we are to believe that he is not capable of benefiting from a coaching change?

Perhaps he is too far gone in terms of being able to turn his career around. Too many coaches throughout his career and none of them able to help him but none of them were able to help any of the Dolphins offensive line.

Look again at the coaches since 2017 and not one single offensive linemen is considered better than average. Believed to have hit their ceiling. Not a single one.

I don’t think that Jesse Davis should start. I think Miami needs to be better at right tackle but I think Davis could be a valuable backup guard and maybe even develop with more quality coaching. Maybe that will not be here. Maybe it shouldn’t be.

While fans pound their fists for Davis’ release, those same fans are thinking that Miami has the right coaches to make this unit better. Maybe Davis deserves at the very least, a shot in training camp to see if he can benefit as well.

As I said, this is not a popular opinion but it is one we shouldn’t just summarily dismiss either.