Dolphins roster flaw the front office didn’t fix is now the biggest bye week issue

The Miami Dolphins are at a major crossroads in the midst of their Week 12 bye, and they're likely wondering what could've been in 2025 if they'd started firing on all cylinders a little sooner.

Losing six of seven to start a season and expecting to sniff the playoffs is wishful thinking. However, the Fins somehow have a chance, but still need to run the table to get to 10 wins. Had they not neglected one key area of the roster this offseason — nay, for multiple years — they might have a winning record to this point, rather than sitting three games below .500.

Heck, ex-GM Chris Grier could still have a job if he didn't dismiss such a key offensive unit for so long. Miami diehards know where the main point of this article is going based on this preamble.

Dolphins offensive line a persistent red flag amid Week 12 bye

The late-notice retirement of studly left tackle Terron Armstead was an issue, but at least the Dolphins had a decent successor in place in Patrick Paul. Center Aaron Brewer has turned into a fine starter.

That still leaves three other spots on the offensive line, which Miami did not have adequate contingencies for. Trading up in the draft for second-round pick Jonah Savaiinaea was a respectable move in theory. Alas, Savaiinaea is rated as PFF's worst guard in the NFL, and the all-22 film these eyes have beheld backs up that rating.

Guess who else is a bottom-five pass-protecting guard? Starting right guard Cole Strange. The former Patriots first-round pick was right in front of Miami's faces in the AFC East. Once free-agent signee James Daniels, fresh off a torn Achilles, went down with an injury in Week 1, Grier's version of a solution was to scoop up Strange and put him on the active roster.

Shall we talk about right tackle, too? Austin Jackson is a fine player, yet he's missed 37 games out of a possible 62 since the start of 2022, if my math is right. Plugging in Larry Borom (signed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract) has yielded below-average play.

Although it's not fair to say Grier didn't try to improve the blocking for a very specific Mike McDaniel running game and an injury-prone QB in Tua Tagovailoa, the execution of the most notable moves left something to be desired.

All of it adds up to a Dolphins offensive line that ranks 30th in pass blocking and run blocking by PFF's metrics. Hard to be successful like that, especially with a less-mobile quarterback like Tua Tagovailoa.

You could look at those raw, broad numbers and accuse me of laziness, or bias toward the season-long picture rather than what's happened most recently.

BET. Key point incoming!

The last four games have been better across the board for this offensive line group, yet three of those contests were against a few of the league's bottom-six run defenses in Atlanta, Buffalo, and Washington. The Ravens were the only opponent that didn't fall into that category. The result was a 28-6 loss.

For all the hate lobbed at Tua and McDaniel, the next GM really needs to be proactive to upgrade the offensive trenches. It could take an already-solid offense to a whole other level, and imagine what De'Von Achane could do with, say, average run blocking in front of him. Scary thought for the rest of the NFL, just saying!