Dolphins Release OL Liam Eichenberg
Liam Eichenberg missed all of the 2025 season. If he is to continue his NFL career, it will take place with a new team. 
The Dolphins announced on Monday that Eichenberg has been released. A knee injury landed the veteran offensive lineman on the PUP list during roster cutdowns in August. He remained there throughout the campaign, leaving open the possibility of a move such as this one. Eichenberg intends to play in 2026, but he is now a free agent.
After playing out his rookie contract with Miami, the Notre Dame product re-upped on a one-year deal. Since he was never activated from the PUP list, that contract would have tolled to 2026 had the Dolphins retained him. Instead, the team will move on while Eichenberg will begin the process of finding his next gig. His market will no doubt be tepid given the length of his absence. This move is coming with a failed physical designation, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.
Eichenberg made 60 appearances and 52 starts during his tenure with the Dolphins. The former second-rounder has seen time at every O-line position, and his versatility could be valued by interested teams. After playing as a tackle during his rookie campaign, Eichenberg has exclusively been used on the interior. He saw time at center in 2023, but otherwise his most common position has been guard.
The 28-year-old will thus likely be targeted as an option for starting guard duties during his time on the open market. That position has already seen changes in Miami’s case, with James Daniels one of the many incumbent players cut by the new decision-making tandem of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley. With this Eichenberg release now taking place, additions along the interior of the offensive line will clearly be a priority for Miami.
The Dolphins are narrowly under the 2026 cap ceiling as things stand. Further cost-shedding moves will be required as a result, although managing to add financial flexibility through a Tua Tagovailoa trade remains highly unlikely.
Dolphins Do Not Intend To Trade De’Von Achane, Jaylen Waddle
The Dolphins turned down offers for running back De’Von Achane and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle at the trade deadline, and their stance on the matter has not changed heading into the offseason.
Miami still sees their speedy offensive skill players as “core players,” according to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, and have no desire to trade them as a result.
Achane, 24, just finished a career-best season with 1,838 yards from scrimmage and an NFL-high 5.7 yards per carry. He will become eligible for an extension in the new league year, and his next contract will likely make him one of the highest-paid running backs in the NFL.
At the deadline, the Dolphins reportedly set a price of “a second-round pick and more” for Achane that no other team was willing to meet. As the draft approaches – and more teams begin to fall in love with Day 1 and 2 prospects – the chances of Miami getting such a haul for their young running back will likely drop. That kind of an offer may no longer be good enough, either, as the new front office and coaching staff could see Achane as a foundational part of their offense.
Waddle, 27, just finished his second straight season under 1,000 receiving yards after eclipsing that number in his previous three years. Much of that regression can be attributed to the Dolphins’ issues at quarterback and general offensive woes in 2025.
The Dolphins demanded a first-round pick “and then some” for Waddle at the deadline with no team making such an offer. The 2021 No. 6 pick has three years remaining on his contract with a $15.4MM option bonus due on March 20. He currently has no other guaranteed money in the future, though $8.2MM of his 2027 salary will become guaranteed early in the 2027 league year, per OverTheCap. That much contract control for a star wide receiver is another reason why the Dolphins set such a high price for Waddle in the past and plan to hold onto him moving forward.
The Dolphins would be more inclined to trade Minkah Fitzpatrick, per Wolfe, aligning with earlier reporting that the team was shopping the 29-year-old safety. Though they have hopes of quickly retooling around younger talents like Achane and Waddle, Fitzpatrick does not fit the timeline of a team that has yet to find its next quarterback.
Two Dolphins who may not be on the field at all next year – in Miami or elsehwere – are running back Alexander Mattison and offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg.
Mattison underwent emergency fusion surgery after a preseason neck injury in Chicago. The 27-year-old running back said (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald) that he is still recovering but expressed hope to play again in the future.
Eichenberg is in a similar situation. He spent the entire season on the physically unable to perform list due to a lingering knee injury that flared up during offseason practices.
“It was one of those things that just started happening working out, doing exercises,” Eichenberg said (via Jackson). “My knee was just kind of breaking down for the most part.”
Eichenberg declined to say if he underwent surgery to address the issue. As for his playing future, he plans to try to return to the field but did not offer much more information.
Dolphins Set 53-Man Roster, Begin Search For Kicker
The Dolphins got their roster down to 53 players this afternoon and, in the process, officially placed kicker Jason Sanders on IR. Here are the rest of the team’s moves:
Released:
- CB Cornell Armstrong
- LB Quinton Bell
- RB Mike Boone
- TE Pharaoh Brown
- T Jackson Carman
- CB Cameron Dantzler
- DT Matt Dickerson
- CB Mike Hilton
- TE Chris Myarick
- CB Kendall Sheffield
Waived:
- CB BJ Adams
- WR Andrew Armstrong
- T Mason Brooks
- T Braeden Daniels
- WR Erik Ezukanma
- T Ryan Hayes
- WR AJ Henning
- DT Alex Huntley
- LB Dequan Jackson
- LB Mohamed Kamara
- T Jalen McKenzie
- LB Derrick McLendon
- S Patrick McMorris
- LB Grayson Murphy
- G Josh Priebe
- CB Ethan Robinson
- TE Hayden Rucci
- S John Saunders Jr.
- RB Aaron Shampklin
- DT Ben Stille
- LB Channing Tindall
- WR Theo Wease Jr.
- G Addison West
Waived/injured:
Waived (with injury settlement):
Placed on IR (designated for return):
Placed on reserve/PUP:
In four seasons with the team, Eichenberg has started at every position on the offensive line. The Dolphins will miss his versatility while he’s out, but head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed recently that Eichenberg’s injury is not a season-ending one.
Sanders’ hip injury landed him on injured reserve, meaning Miami will be without him for at least the first month of the season. To deal with his absence, the Dolphins hosted four veteran kickers — Zane Gonzalez, Greg Joseph, Riley Patterson, and Eddy Pineiro — for tryouts today, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Besides that, there weren’t many surprises in the cuts today. Tindall had been a core special teamer for each of his first three years in Miami but may have to find his way to the field through the practice squad. According to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network, Murphy had a really strong summer with the team and should be back on the practice squad, as long as he clears waivers.
AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Pats, Myers, Bills
Zach Sieler is not holding in at Dolphins practice, but the veteran defensive lineman has let it be known he is seeking a new contract. Tied to a three-year, $30.75MM extension, Sieler has delivered a considerable return for the Dolphins by posting back-to-back 10-sack seasons — for a team decimated at the edge rusher positions.
“I do feel like I want to get,” Sieler said, via the Miami Herald’s Omar Kelly. “I do feel that respect coming. I think I’ve earned it. I know I’ve earned it.”
The interior defender, though, is signed for two more seasons. Dolphins GM Chris Grier has bent on a few occasions to extension-chasing players with more than a year left on their deals. Grier rewarded Xavien Howard, Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey in doing so. The Howard and Ramsey decisions burned the Dolphins, as substantial dead money emerged following their respective exits. Sieler signed his extension shortly before the first of those 10-sack seasons. Set to turn 30 in September and sitting 31st in AAV among interior D-linemen, the former seventh-rounder is looking to capitalize on his performance and cash in while still in his prime.
Here is the latest from the AFC East:
- The Dolphins brought in Mike Hilton and Jack Jones at cornerback, but they have lost Kader Kohou and Artie Burns for the season. Hilton had spoken with the Dolphins months ago. The former Steelers and Bengals slot corner expected to draw more interest, but he is now 31. He still expected to wind up in Miami, via ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques.
- Hilton arrived after multiple instances of Dolphins-Rasul Douglas negotiations. The Douglas talks would pertain more to Jones, who is an outside CB. Douglas remains in free agency after rejecting a Dolphins offer, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports. Ranked behind veteran corners D.J. Reed, Byron Murphy, Carlton Davis and Charvarius Ward in PFR’s top 50, Douglas has been tied to the Dolphins and Seahawks and, per Anderson, has received more interest lately. It should be expected the soon-to-be 30-year-old DB signs somewhere soon, but his value will not approach the three-year, $21MM Packers deal he inked in 2022.
- The Dolphins signed James Daniels after an Achilles tear, and they do not have top interior backup Liam Eichenberg available yet. The versatile O-lineman is weeks away from returning from the active/PUP list, Mike McDaniel said (via Jackson). McDaniel confirmed this issue is “not a season-ender.” The Dolphins re-signed Eichenberg (one year, $2.25MM) after seeing Isaiah Wynn miss all of last season due to a 2023 injury. Wynn is no longer on the roster, but second-round pick Jonah Savaiinaea is set to replace Eichenberg in Miami’s lineup.
- Good news for the Patriots, who have seen their new DC (Terrell Williams) return to work at camp. A spring health scare sidelined Williams, but the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi notes he is back ahead of his first year as a coordinator.
- Josh Myers did not see his four years of starter experience lead to a noteworthy free agency deal, reminding of Teven Jenkins‘ market. The four-year Packers center starter, who received just $2MM from the Jets, did say (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) the team informed him upon signing he would move into a center competition with incumbent Joe Tippmann. We heard during OTAs the Jets would put Tippmann — a 2023 second-round pick — in a position battle with Myers, and it is ongoing. Both players are ex-second-round picks, though Myers’ 56 starts better Tippmann’s 31. Pro Football Focus ranked Tippmann eighth last season, slotting Myers in 38th among centers. Two years remain on Tippmann’s rookie deal.
- Vince Carter does not intend for his Bills ownership stake to bring a silent partnership role. “I’ve sat with the GM, president, owner, the big boss,” Carter said, via the Daytona News-Journal’s Chris Vinel. “I’ve sat with everybody, and we’ve had conversations, and I just listen and learn. I don’t just want to have a name on it. I want to be involved.” While Carter is unlikely to represent the Bills at any owners meetings, he is one of many to take advantage of the NFL loosening restraints on private equity ownership recently.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/25
With training camps kicking off around the NFL, teams continue to make adjustments to their rosters. Here are today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Matt Sokol, WR David White
- Waived: WR Kelly Akharaiyi, P Jake Camarda
- Placed on active/PUP: OT Spencer Brown, C Sedrick Van Pran-Granger
- Placed on active/NFI: TE Dawson Knox
- Activated from active/PUP: DE Landon Jackson
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Tyler Mabry
- Released/failed physical: LB Josey Jewell (story)
- Placed on active/NFI: DT Bobby Brown
Cincinnati Bengals
- Waived: DT Dante Barnett
- Placed on active/NFI: RB Zack Moss
Cleveland Browns
- Waived (with injury designation): WR Jaelen Gill
- Placed on active/PUP: DT Mike Hall Jr., QB Deshaun Watson
- Placed on active/NFI: WR David Bell
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: K Mark McNamee
Houston Texans
- Waived: CB Keydrain Calligan
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Placed on active/PUP: DT Maason Smith
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Phillip Dorsett, G Atonio Mafi, WR Seth Williams
- Waived: CB Mello Dotson, WR Zakhair Franklin, WR Key’Shawn Smith, LB Jailin Walker
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: OT Savion Washington
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: OL Daniel Brunskill
- Waived: QB Brett Gabbert
- Placed on active/PUP: OL Liam Eichenberg, TE Darren Waller
- Placed on active/NFI: S Ifeatu Melifonwu
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on active/PUP: TE Taysom Hill, TE Foster Moreau
- Placed on reserve/retired: TE Dallin Holker, S Tyrann Mathieu (story)
New York Giants
- Signed: S K’Von Wallace
- Waived/failed physical: S Anthony Johnson Jr.
- Placed on active/PUP: RB Eric Gray, LT Andrew Thomas
- Placed on active/NFI: LB Victor Dimukeje
New York Jets
- Waived: OT Obinna Eze
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Placed on active/PUP: OT Silas Dzansi, WR Chris Godwin, G Sua Opeta, QB Michael Pratt, OT Tristan Wirfs
- Placed on active/NFI: LB Anthony Walker
- Placed on active/non-football illness: DL Desmond Watson
Tennessee Titans
- Placed on active/PUP: C Lloyd Cushenberry, CB L’Jarius Sneed
Washington Commanders
- Waived/NFI: RB Michael Wiley
OL Notes: Conerly, Commanders, Dolphins, Patriots, Seahawks, Bears, Giants, Rams
As OTAs near, teams will begin evaluations regarding roles for rookie offensive linemen — and potential veteran relocations stemming from draft decisions. A couple of changes figure to come out of the Commanders‘ Josh Conerly Jr. draft choice. The Browns and Texans attempted to trade up for Conerly, but the Commanders ended up with the two-year Oregon left tackle starter at No. 29. Washington GM Adam Peters said (via ESPN.com’s John Keim) Conerly could play tackle or guard as a rookie.
Washington, which let Cornelius Lucas walk in free agency (to Cleveland), had already planned to move primary 2024 LT Brandon Coleman to RT before the draft. Two-year RT starter Andrew Wylie accepted a pay cut this offseason, and his past as a guard could become relevant again. Wylie has only played RT over the past four seasons, but the ex-Chief worked almost exclusively at guard from 2018-20. Wylie and potentially Coleman could be in the guard mix if Conerly stays at tackle opposite new LT Laremy Tunsil. The Commanders have ex-Chief Nick Allegretti at LG and a rehabbing Sam Cosmi at RG; the latter’s spot obviously will not be in jeopardy once he recovers from his January ACL tear, but he will not be a lock to avoid the PUP list to open the season.
Here is the latest from O-lines around the league:
- The Dolphins are slotting second-round pick Jonah Savaiinaea at guard, per GM Chris Grier, who expects (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) the No. 37 overall pick to start from Day 1. Miami traded up for the Arizona product, outflanking the Patriots, who were (via the Boston Sports Journal’s Greg Bedard) believed to be eyeing him at No. 38. Savaiinaea will likely be set to displace Liam Eichenberg, who played all five O-line spots during his Dolphins rookie deal. Eichenberg, a 2021 second-round pick who re-signed on a one-year deal worth $2.23MM, is now set to operate as a swingman behind new starters Savaiinaea and James Daniels.
- Bears second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo served as Boston College’s RT starter in 2023 and ’24. Chicago choosing Trapilo at No. 56 points to him being eyed as a 2026 starter, as LT starter Braxton Jones is in a contract year. Ryan Poles said during a Kap & J-Hood ESPN 1000 interview (h/t ESPN.com’s Courtney Cronin) the Bears will begin Trapilo at LT this offseason, as the team is sufficiently confident Trapilo in Trapilo’s RT seasoning. That opens the door to starter work while Jones recovers from ankle surgery; Chicago’s three-year LT is expected to miss training camp time.
- Seattle will use its first-round pick, Grey Zabel, at guard, The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar notes. As our Ely Allen noted in his mock draft, the North Dakota State product played across the O-line with the Bison. Zabel saw time at both guard spots and each tackle position in college, and a center NFL future came up as well. The Seahawks, who did not allocate much in the way of resources to guard following Damien Lewis‘ 2024 exit, are set to place Zabel at LG, per Hall of Fame ex-Seahawk guard Steve Hutchinson (h/t ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson). Zabel would replace Laken Tomlinson at LG, while Henderson adds primary 2024 RG starter Anthony Bradford competes with 2024 third-rounder Christian Haynes, Sataoa Laumea and rookie sixth-rounder Bryce Cabeldue at the other guard post.
- As Evan Neal transitions to guard, a player viewed as a potential Giants guard starter — fifth-round rookie Marcus Mbow — will begin his career at tackle, Brian Daboll said (via the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz). Mbow was a full-time guard starter at Purdue in 2022, while he finished his career as the Boilermakers’ starting right tackle. Mbow will begin his career behind Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor. The latter being in a contract year opens the door for an early-career move into the starting lineup, should Mbow prove ready.
- Rob Havenstein joins Jones in recovering from surgery, confirming (via The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue) he underwent cleanup procedures on both shoulders. Havenstein, 33 next week, will miss some offseason time but is not expected to be sidelined to start training camp. Missing six games last season, Havenstein is going into his 11th year as the Rams‘ RT starter.
Dolphins To Re-Sign OL Liam Eichenberg
Roaming around the Dolphins’ offensive line during his rookie contract, Liam Eichenberg settled into a starting guard role last season. After some guard shuffling on Miami’s roster during free agency’s opening week, Eichenberg will be prioritized.
The former second-round pick is staying in Miami on a one-year deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. Eichenberg will be a starter option for a Dolphins team that replaced its other 2024 first-string guard — Robert Jones — with James Daniels, who agreed to a three-year, $24MM deal.
Eichenberg, 27, completed an O-line cycle during his rookie contract, playing at least 100 snaps at all five positions. The Notre Dame alum worked as Miami’s primary left tackle in 2021, while also seeing time at RT. He slid to left guard in 2022 and was the team’s center fill-in — after Connor Williams‘ ACL tear — in 2023. Eichenberg won the Dolphins’ RG job last year, however, and only played that position for Mike McDaniel’s team from that point on. After 1,036 snaps at RG last season, Eichenberg will be an option for Miami once again in 2025.
The Dolphins needed a right guard replacement for Robert Hunt, who landed a monster Panthers contract last March, and it will be interesting if Eichenberg has the chance to play the same position two years in a row for a change. Eichenberg entered the NFL after a three-year run as Notre Dame’s left tackle. A move to the blind side is highly unlikely, as another second-round pick — Patrick Paul — is in line to succeed Terron Armstead, who is expected to retire.
Miami has Daniels, Austin Jackson and Aaron Brewer‘s midlevel contracts in place up front. Eichenberg may not be the most exciting choice to start opposite Daniels — Pro Football Focus has graded him as a bottom-10 option everywhere he has been — but the 6-foot-6 blocker has made 52 career starts and will be a low-cost option on an offense housing high-end deals for Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
OL Notes: Raiders, Giants, Brewer, Nijman
The Raiders had been planning to have Thayer Munford replace Jermaine Eluemunor at right tackle, but a hand injury early in camp created a competition. Third-round rookie DJ Glaze has earned more first-team reps upon Munford returning. While The Athletic’s Tashan Reed notes Munford — a 2022 seventh-rounder who competed with Eluemunor for the RT job last summer and saw action at both tackle spots during the season — still has the edge, Glaze has created a position battle (subscription required). Glaze’s chances at earning this job may also have increased Tuesday, with Reed adding Munford sustained an injury to his other hand.
Elsewhere on the Raiders’ front, second-round rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson remains on the active/PUP list. The Oregon product has been out of Raiders practice since early in OTAs, with a concussion sidelining him. Considering the timeline here, it is concerning how long the rookie has been out. Antonio Pierce did say (via Reed) he expects Powers-Johnson and LT Kolton Miller to begin practicing next week, but the former’s chances of winning the LG job — which the Raiders appeared to have earmarked for the Day 2 draftee — have taken a hit. The team does have veteran options in Cody Whitehair and Andrus Peat; the latter has been working at tackle while Miller has rehabbed.
Here is the latest from the O-line ranks around the league.
- Eluemunor changed positions in camp for his new team, shifting back to right tackle — after spending the offseason at guard — while Evan Neal rehabbed a nagging ankle injury. While Neal is off the Giants‘ PUP list, the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard notes Eluemunor is unlikely to give up the starting RT job. The three-year Raiders starter appears “entrenched” there, establishing a likelihood Neal starts the season as a backup. Late-summer FA addition Greg Van Roten, who started next to Eluemunor in Las Vegas last year, is expected to start at right guard in New York, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan.
- Signed to replace Connor Williams in free agency, Aaron Brewer sustained a hand injury that could shake up the Dolphins‘ regular-season O-line. Brewer could miss several weeks with this ailment, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson notes, adding that Liam Eichenberg — who has made a career shuffling around Miami’s front — is back at center for the time being. A former second-rounder now in a contract year, Eichenberg was close to winning Miami’s RG gig, Jackson adds. The Dolphins are now shorthanded at two spots up front, with LG Isaiah Wynn not yet off the PUP list.
- The Panthers signed Yosh Nijman (two years, $8MM) to be their swing tackle this offseason, but the ex-Packer will not factor into Carolina’s O-line equation for a while. Nijman is a “long ways” away from returning after undergoing surgery to repair a leg issue, Dave Canales said. Nijman appears a candidate to be stashed on Carolina’s reserve/PUP list, per The Athletic’s Joe Person, who notes a waiver wire add here should not surprise at this point.
- A 2023 fourth-round pick, Anthony Bradford is moving close to becoming the Seahawks‘ RG starter, according to The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar. The former Day 3 pick looks to have a clear lead here. Bradford, who started 10 games in relief of Phil Haynes last season, is poised to retain the job opposite free agency addition Laken Tomlinson.
- Saahdiq Charles‘ retirement caught the Titans by surprise. They had been pitting the offseason addition against Dillon Radunz in a right guard competition. New O-line coach Bill Callahan said (via TitanInsider.com’s Terry McCormick) he attempted to reach out to the 25-year-old blocker but did not hear back. The Titans gave Charles a one-year, $1.5MM deal to come over from Washington in free agency.
OL Notes: Bears, Commanders, Coleman, Fashanu, Jets, Lamm, Dolphins, Paul, Titans
In Ryan Bates and Coleman Shelton, the Bears added two starter-caliber veterans along their interior O-line this offseason. They still may not be satisfied up front. Nate Davis did not live up to his three-year, $30MM contract last season, and the ex-Titans starter has missed time due to a groin injury in practice. Bates has guard experience, starting for most of the 2022 season in Buffalo (on a Bears-constructed contract to which he remains attached), and could be an option at RG as well. But the Bears should be expected to look into the trade market and closely monitor the waiver wire — as cuts come in later this month — for interior help, per ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. Chicago is set at left guard (Teven Jenkins) and seemingly would be prepared to make the loser of the Shelton-Bates center battle an interior swingman, but Davis’ health and shaky 2023 showing looks to have generated a bit of concern — for depth purposes at the very least.
Here is the latest from O-line situations around the league:
- Brandon Coleman is moving closer to becoming a rookie tackle starter in Washington. The Commanders are giving the third-rounder first-team left tackle reps, per NBC Sports Washington’s JP Finlay, and The Athletic’s Ben Standig adds Coleman may be the safest bet to start at tackle to open Dan Quinn‘s tenure. Quinn said both Washington tackle jobs are open, and Standig adds 2023 free agency pickup Andrew Wylie and veteran Cornelius Lucas may be vying for the RT job (subscription required). Some evaluators viewed Coleman as a better guard in the pros, but the Commanders do not share that assessment. More of a spot starter than a full-timer, Lucas has still made 31 starts during his four-year Washington run. Wylie is attached to a three-year, $24MM deal.
- The Jets devoted their top offseason resource to insurance on their O-line, but the Olu Fashanu pick will obviously matter more in the long term. Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses are in place at tackle in New York, but Fashanu looms as a post-2024 starter at one of the positions. The Penn State product has repped exclusively at left tackle during training camp, but the New York Post’s Brian Costello notes team will give him RT reps as well. Smith’s extensive injury history points to Fashanu needing to make LT starts as a rookie; both Smith and Morgan are on expiring contracts.
- Although the Dolphins used a second-round pick on Patrick Paul, the former Houston tackle may be more of a project than a player the team would count on to fill in for Terron Armstead if/when the talented veteran misses time. Veteran swingman Kendall Lamm remains on track to hold that role this season, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. Armstead has missed 11 games since joining the Dolphins in 2022 and has missed more than two games in seven of the past nine seasons. Miami having chosen Paul 55th overall points to the prospect being given a chance early, and a June report suggested the rookie had a good chance to unseat Lamm. Though, Lamm — re-signed before the draft at one year and $2.5MM ($1.6MM guaranteed — represents quality insurance that would have the Dolphins carrying four tackles.
- Elsewhere on Miami’s O-line, the team still has Isaiah Wynn on its active/PUP list. While Wynn is expected to eventually regain his starting LG job, Jackson notes Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones and Jack Driscoll are vying for the two starting guard positions. The Dolphins lost Robert Hunt in free agency but re-signed Jones and added Driscoll. A former second-round pick who has played across Miami’s O-line, Eichenberg is in a contract year.
- Prior to Saahdiq Charles‘ surprising retirement, Brian Callahan said (via ESPN.com’s Turron Davenport) the Titans free agency pickup and Dillon Radunz had been given near-equal time at right guard. No starter had been named, but Charles’ mid-camp exit certainly gives Radunz — a converted tackle in a contract year — a good chance to be the team’s guard opposite Peter Skoronski.
Dolphins C Connor Williams Out For Season
The Dolphins continue to absorb blows along their offensive line. They will lose a second starter to a significant malady. Connor Williams is set to miss the rest of the season due to a torn ACL, Mike McDaniel said Tuesday.
Williams will join left guard Isaiah Wynn as Miami blockers set to rehab long-term injuries. It is not known if Wynn is done for the season, but early indications have signaled that is the case. Williams, who is in a contract year, left Monday night’s game early.
This is a brutal setback for Williams, who was playing out a two-year, $14MM contract. The former Cowboys draftee had angled for a raise this offseason, but the Dolphins did not buckle. Williams missed offseason time but ultimately returned on the deal he signed in 2022. Going down with a severe knee injury this late in the season will undoubtedly affect the former second-round pick’s 2024 market, as the Texas alum’s rehab effort will run up to, and potentially beyond, Week 1 of next season.
McDaniel said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) the Dolphins will consider signing a center. Liam Eichenberg, who has bounced across the Dolphins’ offensive front during his three-year career, is set to move into the role on a fill-in basis. Eichenberg, whom Wynn beat out for the left guard job in training camp, has worked as a utility player this season — for a Miami O-line unable to keep its starting five healthy — before becoming a full-time starter once again.
Williams, 26, had missed four games earlier this season but had started the past five. Converted from Texas tackle to Cowboys guard to Dolphins center, Williams had become an important part of Miami’s top-flight offense. The Dolphins finished their Week 14 game without four of their original O-line starters, with Robert Hunt out after aggravating a hamstring injury and Terron Armstead nursing his latest ailment. Armstead, who suffered a quad injury during the Dolphins’ Black Friday game, returned for the team’s Week 13 matchup against the Commanders; the Dolphins held him out Monday due to knee and ankle injuries. Armstead, whom the team already activated from IR, has missed eight games this season. Miami’s second-stringer-laden front allowed five sacks in a 28-27 loss.
The recently extended Austin Jackson, who has settled in at right tackle, has been the only Dolphin O-lineman to start every game this season. Jackson entered the season after missing 15 games last year. Kendall Lamm started in place of Armstead, while Lester Cotton was in for Hunt. Cotton has a direct path to the starting lineup at guard, while McDaniel said he is the team’s backup center presently. Eichenberg has made one career start at center — in Week 4 of this season — but has played every position up front for the Dolphins since being drafted in the 2021 second round.
Centers who either just retired (Chase Roullier, Justin Britt) or have been connected to doing so (Rodney Hudson, Ben Jones) represent the biggest names available in free agency. The Cardinals and Titans, respectively, released Hudson and Jones this offseason. Jones, 34, had signed four contracts with the Titans and had missed just one game in his 11-year career before a two-concussion 2022 stalled his career. Hudson, 34, made three Pro Bowls as a Raider but was linked to retiring before the 2022 season; he missed 13 games last year. The injury-prone Roullier, 30, retired this summer but had worked out for the Cardinals shortly before making that decision. The Texans released Britt, 32, after he spent almost all of last season on the reserve/NFI list.