It isn't often that Miami Dolphins fans can clap and cheer for a Chris Grier offensive line addition, but if Week 1 was any indication, Patrick Paul looks like the real deal.
Nothing went right for the Dolphins in Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts. From the quarterback play to the heralded edge-rushers, Miami laid an egg the likes of which fans have rarely seen. To put it into perspective, they were disinterested, lacked preparation, made it look like the preseason, and even managed to waste a timeout on a two-point conversion.
Luckily, Paul provided the fans something to at least marginally cheer about.
Patrick Paul shines in his 2025 Dolphins debut, silencing his offseason critics
Paul was the Dolphins' best player on Sunday, and it wasn't close. According to Pro Football Focus, he finished the game with a stellar 84.9 rating. The next closest player was Tyrel Dodson, who was rated at 76.3. While not bad, only three players finished better than 70, with center Aaron Brewer being the third.
Paul was fantastic on the left side. He played 47 total snaps and gave up no pressures on the quarterback, no hits, and no sacks. He also didn't have a single penalty called against him.
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The Dolphins' left tackle was a point of discussion throughout the offseason, as many in the media questioned his ability to take over for Terron Armstead. While Paul was able to get playing time last year, he was going through the rookie ups and downs that were to be expected.
This is an important season for Paul, as he is now the Dolphins' starting left tackle, a job he has more than earned. Grier has had Paul penciled in since drafting him, but there were questions about whether he could make the transition to the NFL. Many saw Paul as someone who needed a lot of work, while others believed the Dolphins had over-drafted the lineman.
It might have been just one game, but the fact that Paul stood out as the best player on what was an otherwise atrocious Sunday is good news for Dolphins fans who look toward the future and see a sliver of hope.