Offensive line injuries should have the Miami Dolphins way more concerned

Patrick Paul may have looked great in his NFL preseason debut but his opportunities to play in the regular season will come down to Terron Armstead's availability and whether or not the Miami Dolphins opt for Kendall Lamm to be the primary backup. And so begins the Dolphins offensive line woes.

We say begin because we are just getting started. Aaron Brewer is out with a hand injury, and while it may not be serious, it is serious enough that he won't practice until possibly the week before the season starts. At left guard, Isaiah Wynn's injury is more complex. So much so that the Dolphins really haven't classified it yet. Wynn was great in his few games last year before heading to IR for the season, and the Dolphins felt he was a cheap option that would be able to stay healthy. He hasn't made it through camp.

Chris Grier doesn't typically pay a lot for offensive linemen. That includes the NFL Draft. Austin Jackson was considered a reach in 2020, and for his first three seasons, he played like it. After half a season of good play, he got extended. Liam Eichenberg was not only a second-round pick, but the Dolphins traded up to get him. Robert Hunt was a second-round pick and played better than any player for the last 10 years. He was rewarded with a massive contract this offseason by the Carolina Panthers.

Of course, the narrative changes when you look at what Grier and the Dolphins gave Armstead. Still, the argument is that he isn't consistently available and wasn't when the Dolphins added him. He has been a fantastic leader and teacher on the field. He is a Hall of Fame-type player, but when he's healthy.

The rash of injuries Miami has undergone along the line is a problem and players like Chasen Hines, who was recently signed, are a plug and not a fix. The options on the free agent market right now are not good. Miami missed out on veterans who were available because Grier didn't have the foresight to realize that his linemen are injury prone.

Recently, Mike McDaniel said they have more players worthy of an NFL roster than they have positions for on the 53-man roster. Fans are not buying that.

Chris Grier has to be ready to grab offensive linemen when cuts start

Trading for an offensive lineman will require draft picks or players. The Dolphins covet their draft picks and do not have the players who will bring in much more than a depth player who will compete for a roster spot. Miami could get lucky and move a guy like Jeff Wilson Jr. for a fringe player on another team, but the best shot they have to add to the line will come during final roster cuts, and Grier has to be looking out for veterans who will be released.

If there is a problem with this formula, it's that most of these players will be released due to injury consistency and money. These are the same types of players that end up injured and who will need to be replaced. It's not a cycle Grier needs to continue, but it may be too late this year to change it.