Impressive rookie debut has Dolphins fans excited over the offensive line's future

Against the Falcons, one Miami Dolphins rookie got a crash course in the NFL and played nearly the entire game. Patrick Paul, the second-round pick and heir apparent to Terron Armstead, was a shining light on the offensive line.

Paul was expected to play in this one, but no one expected him to play as much as he did. Clearly, the Dolphins view him as the backup to Armstead, who tends to miss time throughout the year. Getting as many reps as possible for Paul makes a lot of sense, and he got the reps to start the preseason.

For the first time, fans got to see what the Dolphins saw in the youngster and why Chris Grier drafted him a little earlier than he was projected. Paul used his long arm reach to keep defenders away from the pocket and his massive legs to overpower and drive ends off the line of scrimmage.

Patrick Paul is the future of the Miami Dolphins offensive line

Paul showed a lot of physicality and he looks as though he could very well be the left tackle answer for years to come. He will benefit this year by sitting behind Armstead and learning from him. That is an incredible value that most left tackles don't get.

Miami is likely to move on from Armstead following the season, and when they do, he will most likely be a post-June 1 release. This, of course, is if Armstead doesn't outright retire after the 2024 season, something he contemplated last year.

Watching Paul against the Falcons was a throwback to the Dolphins' more physical line play many years ago. The addition of Aaron Brewer, another physical lineman, could be a sign of things to come. Could the Dolphins be turning the page on their linemen requirements and looking more for maulers instead of players who can do just enough? If Paul works out, they might have to. He was a pleasant surprise vs. Atlanta, that's for sure.