The last five years of Miami Dolphins football have been quite interesting. Needless to say, one area has yet to truly change.
The Dolphins' offensive line is still a big question mark. The addition of James Daniels helps, but he, too, comes with a question: Can he recover from his 2024 injury?
Miami general manager Chris Grier's idea of fixing the offensive line is an interesting one. The same guy who once told the media they worried far more about the line than they did sat at a table a season later, telling them it was time to fix the offensive line. So did they? Depends on how you view it.
Miami Dolphins offensive line still full of unanswered questions in 2025
Austin Jackson's return will help improve the roster
Austin Jackson missed most of the 2024 season with another injury. When he is healthy, the line plays a lot better on the right side, and the Dolphins find more success running the ball. Without Jackson, the Dolphins have not been able to field a consistent right tackle (Mostly due to injury).
Kendall Lamm was good last year until he got hurt. Jackson Carman provided little in his few games, but that was due to inexperience. This year, the Dolphins have done little to bolster the depth behind Jackson, thus banking on him returning and staying healthy.
Right guard remains a problem that only Liam Eichenberg can fix
Did the Dolphins re-sign Liam Eichenberg as a precaution in case the draft doesn't go their way this year? There are still guards available on the free-agent market, but to be clear, the Dolphins won't take a look at those until after the draft.
More likely, however, they will look to add more after June 1st when the signings do not impact the compensatory formula.
Like it or not, Eichenberg is the only guard currently on the roster with experience to play right guard, and frankly, he might be more suited to playing left guard, where he has typically played, but that position should be going to Daniels.
Aaron Brewer's return at center is the only continuity on the Dolphins line
Aaron Brewer did well for Miami last year and should be better in 2025. His return anchors the team. If Eichenberg switches to the right side, Brewer would be the only player returning from the latter half of the 2024 season at the same position. The Dolphins could use more depth behind him because if he goes down, they don't have much.
James Daniels is the biggest change to the offensive line
Will Daniels play right or left guard when the season begins? That's a question Butch Barry and Mike McDaniel will need to answer. He should return from his Achilles injury without any setbacks. His addition makes the interior better, but how much better remains to be seen.
When Miami added him, they added the far less experienced Larry Borom as well, but Borom doesn't move the needle; Daniels does that. Overall, he is head and shoulders above Eichenberg, but with Eichenberg still on the roster, are the Dolphins still better?
Left tackle is going to be interesting without Terron Armstead
No one will complain about Armstead retiring, given the uncertainty of his availability week to week during the season, but what they will miss is his leadership. Whether he was on the field playing or on the sideline in street clothes, Armstead was a leader and a mentor.
Now, the Dolphins will hand the left tackle job to second-year offensive lineman Patrick Paul. Paul has the size to be a good left tackle, but he needs time to develop, and more playing time will help that.
Overall, the Dolphins offensive line is marginally better than it was in 2024, but still lacks depth
The only real new addition to the roster is Daniels, and while Borom will add depth, he doesn't add a lot of experience.
His former team completely gutted their offensive line this offseason, and Borom was part of that change, so Miami will need to develop him more. Keeping Kion Smith could turn out to be the best move made by the Dolphins this offseason.
2025 NFL Draft can still provide solutions for the Dolphins offensive line
Whether an interior lineman is drafted in round one or two, the Dolphins have to decide how important fixing the unit is. Miami needs to be more physically imposing in the trenches, and nothing they did this offseason changes that.
Adding a guard to the roster who has that mean mental attitude will help, but with other needs on the roster, it's not clear if they can afford to use a high pick on a lineman despite it being a glaring need.