With right around a month to go until the start of the season, it appears the Dolphins aren’t quite happy with their offensive line. Miami is “searching for some offensive tackle depth and is willing to make a trade” for one, Michael Lombardi of The Athletic hears (Twitter link).
Austin Jackson is locked in as the starting left tackle, but there’s some uncertainty opposite him. The team drafted Liam Eichenberg in the second-round of this past draft, but it appears he’s set to kick inside and play guard to start his pro career. As of right now the starter at right tackle would be Jesse Davis, a 2015 UDFA who has been a middling starter for them the past few seasons.
Perhaps the bigger worry is that they have very little beyond them should Jackson or Davis go down, so it’s possible they’re only looking for a veteran swing tackle. It’s unclear who exactly would be available now in a trade. If they wanted to make a bigger splash they should’ve done it earlier in the offseason, when guys like Orlando Brown Jr. were available.
Miami opted not to do much to address the position in free agency. Notably, they passed on Oregon tackle Penei Sewell with the sixth pick in the draft, taking Alabama receiver Jaylen Waddle while Sewell went seventh to the Lions.m
Sewell is going to be an all-pro WR. I am just not convinced Waddle will be anything more than a splash play here and there guy, especially in that offense.
Sorry…All pro OT.
I’m convinced that the Waddle pick was for Tagovailoa’s comfort, but a fine LT/RT would be a great help in that regard as well one would think.
I suppose the Dolphins, being unwilling to move Jackson to RT, thought Sewell would be wasted there. Either that or they thought lack of comfort ability with receivers was a bigger issue for Tu’a than protection. Picking someone that Tagovailoa already has chemistry with can I suppose platform into chemistry with other WRs.
I’m not sure I agree with the first explanation, but the second seems more defensible. The only reason that this situation is odd is because the Dolphins only now apparently have noticed that they need a tackle, even after selected a tackle that they will end up moving to guard. It’s odd to me that didn’t pick another tackle after taking a guy that they knew would move inside-meaning that they saw the state of the position, did not get what they needed (they could have easily drafted another tackle if they still wanted Eichenberg, as there were several in later rounds, especially if this is for depth), and now have to make a trade. Just seems like Miami missed something.
Sewell is a RT not a LT, so he would of fit with Jackson. Sewell only played one year of LT and seems better suited on the other side.
Sewell played LT throughout college, which for him was two years due to his opt-out. The Lions put him at RT, which he has said will be a challenging transition for him. He played some RT in high school.
In his words:
“It is not that easy,” Sewell said on Day 3 of organized team activities. “Man, it’s a whole different feel. Again, it’s like, let’s say I’m right-handed so I’ve been writing right-handed my whole life, and then one day you’re just asked to write your full name left-handed at full speed, the same speed that you write with your right hand. So yeah, it’s a little bit of an adjustment.”
False, Sewell has played LT his whole life and is quoted as saying as much.
It may be that Miami was hoping Eichenberg would be a tackle but once they got him into camp, it became apparent Eichenberg could be a great guard and would be only a middling tackle (in the near future).
I think you may be right, Alec. It’d be tricky to explain otherwise, but a lot of people had Eichenberg pegged as a guard going into the draft. I suppose Miami didn’t believe them.
I agree Sewell is the real deal, top 3 talent in this class
I get that they needed a field stretcher, but I think they would have been better served picking Sewell over Waddle.
Either way, the Browns have apparently been impressed with James Hudson so far, so maybe they’d be willing to use him as their swing tackle. In that case, Chris Hubbard could make sense for the Dolphins. He’s a solid swing guy that could probably start for a lot of teams.
Tua will need a stretcher
By week 3 lol. And tje fins with the 3rd pick in the draft the QB from
Hudson has been hurt during training camp and I don’t know if Cleveland will be comfortable putting a rookie in there this year because this is the last year they’re going to keep the entire starting offense
The only good first rounder Grier has drafted is Fitzpatrick
While I like Miami’s overall direction under Grier, I’ll say that his personnel decisions have sometimes puzzled me. There have certainly been productive ones, but there are a lot of just…off picks or cuts that have happened too. I wouldn’t be worried if I were a fan, but I’d be a tiny bit wary.
Tunsil? Lol.
They’d probably settle for getting Ereck Flowers back at this point.
Miami should ask the Cowboys about Connor Williams. I know he has only played guard in his pro career but he played tackle in college and he is going into the last year of his contract. Dallas could very well run out a o-line of Smith-McGovern-Biadasz-Martin-Collins and trade Williams for a decent draft pick that maybe they use to help acquire CJ Henderson… idk just a thought
No need to rush or panic.
Plenty of talent available after the various roster cutdowns
We’ll know they are in panic mode if they ask Donald Penn to come in for a workout.
Plenty of bodies, not necessarily talented ones.
They seem happy with Jackson at LT. Hunt who they moved to LG could go back to RT. The team has so many guards.
Yeah, Hunt s/b starting at RT.
My first thought was that they’d see how Hunt looked outside, like they did last year. I know they prefer him at guard, but they have a few players there. I don’t think they need to panic, though, as there are a few vets who could tide them over for a year as spot starters or depth.
Take Dillard from Philly. First round talent that needs a change of scenery.
You can have Tunsil back for two 1st rounders. Less that what we gave you for a free agent to be. Tunsil is now locked up.
Hahahaha LMFAO