Zach Sieler should be screaming at the top of his lungs, shouting toward the Miami Dolphins executives until they open a window and fix the defensive line.
In 2024, the Dolphins entered the draft with nine players on the roster at the position, all with the intent and hope of replacing Christian Wilkins and Raekwon Davis. This year, Miami is entering the draft season with Sieler, Benito Jones, and Neil Farrell. Do you think the defensive line will be a priority?
This year's draft is not about using a selection on a defensive tackle; the question is how many they will draft. Will they take one in Round 1? Because frankly, they almost can't afford not to.
The free-agent market wasn't great at the position, but what little there was available quickly became unavailable. The Dolphins, helpless with their cap situation, could only watch while player after player signed to big contracts.
It wasn't just the big contracts, either. Miami didn't retain Da'Shawn Hand, who left for the West Coast on a decent and affordable contract. The best they could do was re-sign Benito Jones, who has been a rotational player in their system.
The Dolphins have no choice but to draft a defensive tackle early, but it could be a problem
The best prospect is Michigan's Mason Graham, but he will be gone by No. 13. Taking the second-best player, Graham's teammate Kenneth Grant, would be considered a mild reach at 13. Chris Grier may not have a choice. This year's draft has a lot of quality interior defenders, but only about four stand out as first-round picks, and only Graham is considered a top-20 pick (he is top-10).
Waiting until Round 2 would make sense, and there are quality depth players in the mid-rounds, but Miami has the worst interior line right now in the NFL, and that isn't up for debate. If the Dolphins want to win, they need a good defensive line.
It seems they are simply waiting for Calais Campbell to make a decision about his future, but even if he returns to the Dolphins for another season, he isn't an "end-all" answer to the position.
Miami needs a minimum of four linemen to enter the season. They only have three right now, and Sieler is the only reliable starter. That isn't good enough, increasing the pressure to put it right in the draft.