Liam Eichenberg

Dolphins Notes: QB, Gaskin, Berrios, LG

August 19th, 2023 at 4:24pm CST by Ely Allen

In most cases, the Dolphins aren’t utilizing camp position battles to determine starting roles. But as the deadline to cut the roster down to 53 players draws nearer and nearer, decisions have to be made throughout the roster. Here’s a look at who’s battling for a roster spot as the preseason continues, thanks to some helpful analysis from Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald:

At quarterback, the starter is set, but the backup job may be closer than you’d think. Miami signed quarterback Mike White in the first hour of free agency, making it seem like they were dead set on him taking over at QB2. Last year’s backup, Skylar Thompson, doesn’t seem willing to go down without a fight, though, making the battle more competitive than some would assume. White is the presumed winner of this position battle, but if Thompson has a stellar preseason, he has a chance to surprise.
After failing to sign free agent running back Dalvin Cook, the room is shaping up to hold Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, and third-round rookie De’Von Achane, at the very least. If the team is going to open up a fourth roster spot for the position, it’s likely that one of Myles Gaskin or Salvon Ahmed will fill the role while the other will be on the chopping block, if not both. The Dolphins will have to determine if a fourth running back will help the team, and if not, Gaskin or Ahmed’s time in South Beach may be over.
Behind the team’s top two wideouts, there are a number of options to plug in. According to Jackson, AFC East mainstay Braxton Berrios seems to be taking direction from wide receivers coach Wes Welker well, giving him an edge on the depth chart. He’s competing with Cedrick Wilson, Erik Ezukanma, and Chosen Anderson for the WR3 role, and seems to have a handle on it. Anderson has been making up for a slow start to camp lately but may need to compete with River Cracraft if the team only decides to keep six wide receivers.
At tight end, the battle for the third tight spot poses the most intrigue, assuming the team only takes three tight ends. The starter, Durham Smythe, and the rookie, Elijah Higgins, are likely to make the roster, leaving backups Eric Saubert and Tyler Kroft fighting for what is likely going to be the final roster spot at the position. Neither is much of a factor in the passing game, so whoever shows the best blocking ability throughout the rest of camp may be rewarded the short-term job security.
The biggest battle on the line is the battle for the starting left guard spot. Liam Eichenberg and Isaiah Wynn appear to be in a dead heat for the job, according to Jackson. Wynn has more NFL starting experience, but Eichenberg is more familiar with the franchise. Aside from that, the other big battle is for the swing tackle role. Veteran and former starter Kendall Lamm reportedly has established a lead over Cedric Ogbuehi for the job. Seventh-round rookie Ryan Hayes could also contribute to the team depth at the position if he makes the roster.

Isaiah Wynn To Vie For Dolphins’ LG Job

July 3rd, 2023 at 5:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Dolphins have given 2021 second-round pick Liam Eichenberg two seasons to start on the offensive line. Although no major guard investment arrived via free agency or the draft this offseason, the third-year veteran is expected to see competition from a longtime left tackle.

Terron Armstead is going into the second season of a five-year, $75MM contract, and the Dolphins are planning to give 2020 first-round pick Austin Jackson a second chance at right tackle. This would relegate post-draft pickup Isaiah Wynn to a swing role, but the former Patriots first-rounder has extensive guard duty in his past. The Dolphins appear set to exploring that path. Wynn and Eichenberg will compete for the team’s starting left guard gig, Jim Ayello of The Athletic writes (subscription required).

Wynn spent most of his New England time as the Patriots’ starting left tackle; a short 2022 stretch at right tackle did not go especially well. Inconsistency and injury issues led to Wynn signing a one-year, $2.3MM deal. The Pats did give Wynn some time at guard, however, and the 27-year-old blocker worked as a Georgia starting guard during his sophomore and junior seasons (2015 and ’16). The Bulldogs switched Wynn to tackle during that junior year, and the 6-foot-2 blocker glided to a first-round perch after spending 2017 as the SEC program’s blindside starter. During Wynn’s time in trade rumors, some teams considered him a tackle-guard ‘tweener. The Dolphins used Wynn at multiple spots during their offseason program.

The Dolphins have a recent history of giving players extensive run at both guard and tackle. Jesse Davis was a regular at both positions during his versatile tenure in Miami, while right guard Robert Hunt came over from a rookie-year tackle role. The Dolphins also slid Jackson to guard to accommodate Eichenberg in 2021. Seeing as it is perhaps easier to list the tackles who have not been tried at guard in Miami in recent years, Wynn making his way back to his mid-2010s college position is not hard to envision.

Given Armstead and Jackson’s injury histories, Wynn and Eichenberg may be needed as starters. Armstead battled an assortment of maladies in his first Dolphins slate, seeing hip, foot, knee and pectoral setbacks limit him to 13 games last season. The ex-Saints Pro Bowler played through these ailments for much of the season, but he has missed 38 regular-season games since the start of the 2014 campaign. It would be a surprise if the soon-to-be 32-year-old blocker did not miss time in 2023. Jackson is coming off a season in which a September ankle injury caused him to miss 15 games. The Dolphins did not pick up the USC alum’s fifth-year option, but they are counting on him to bounce back. This marks Jackson’s first NFL instance of staying in the same position for a second straight year.

Eichenberg has not shown much to indicate he is a starter-caliber NFL O-lineman. The ex-Notre Dame left tackle started 16 games as a rookie, primarily playing left tackle; Pro Football Focus graded him as a bottom-five option at the position. During Eichenberg’s injury-plagued 10-start season at left guard last year, PFF graded as a bottom-three regular at that position. Eichenberg’s struggles to this point stand to both give Wynn an interesting opportunity and may require the Dolphins to keep exploring outside options up front.

The team was connected to UFA tackle George Fant earlier this offseason and hosted Cameron Fleming on a visit; Fleming has since re-signed with the Broncos. Low-cost signing Dan Feeney resides as an interior backup option. Journeyman Cedric Ogbuehi — whom the Jets cut this offseason — will try to make the team as a swing tackle.

Injury issues at tackle and the LG question mark surround a team with an injury-prone quarterback. Prior to Tua Tagovailoa‘s three-concussion (in all likelihood) 2022, the southpaw starter suffered two hand injuries and ended up on IR due to a 2021 rib fracture. The Alabama standout, of course, came into the NFL after a severe hip injury. Tagovailoa protection will go a long way toward determining the Dolphins’ viability as a contender, and the Dolphins are set to carry some questions into training camp.

AFC Injury Rumors: Bengals, Dolphins, Leonard

January 11th, 2023 at 8:16pm CST by Ely Allen

Cincinnati will host the Ravens in the Wild Card round of the playoffs this weekend, but they will have to do it without two of their starters on the offensive line, according to Mitch Stacy of The Associated Press. Head coach Zac Taylor confirmed that right guard Alex Cappa will join right tackle La’el Collins on the sideline this Sunday night.

Cappa had his ankle rolled over late in the third quarter last week while blocking in the pocket. Initial fears were that the injury would end his season, keeping him out for the entirety of the playoffs, and while Taylor is holding out hope for future games this January, we know that Cappa will not play this weekend.

Cappa joins Collins, who saw his season come to an end after suffering a knee injury in a Week 16 win over the Patriots. Collins has been replaced by Hakeem Adeniji who played in a backup role this season after starting 13 games last year. Adeniji drew criticism for his pass protection in the playoffs last season, when the offensive line drew most of the blame for the team’s loss in Super Bowl LVI.

Cappa will be replaced by backup Max Scharping. After starting 33 games in his first three seasons with the Texans, Scharping was picked up by the Bengals after being waived just prior to the season. The offensive line was a huge weakness last year for a Bengals team that still made it to the Super Bowl. They may have to struggle over that hurdle once again if they want to win it all in February.

Here are a couple other injury rumors from around the AFC, starting with another playoff squad:

If the Bengals’ offensive line situation is considered bad, the Dolphins‘ has to be considered downright tragic as the team practiced today without three starters and three backups on the offensive line alone, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Starting left guard Liam Eichenberg missed today as he deals with a hand injury. After that, the remaining five linemen who missed practice are the team’s top five tackles. First, tackles Austin Jackson and Eric Fisher remain on injured reserve with an ankle and calf injury, respectively. Jackson is eligible to return from IR but isn’t quite ready to, while Fisher is not yet eligible to return. Right tackle Brandon Shell is dealing with a high ankle sprain and mild knee sprain and is likely going to be out this weekend in Buffalo. Kendall Lamm has been dealing with an ankle issue and is questionable to play on Sunday. Lastly, left tackle Terron Armstead missed practice as he deals with multiple ailments including injuries to his hip, foot, knee, and pectoral muscle, according to Jackson. Not one to be subdued by pain, Armstead told Jackson that as long as his muscles function, he’ll be playing against the Bills. Potential backup options include Greg Little and starting right guard Robert Hunt, with Robert Jones filling in the guard spot. Geron Christian, Michael Dieter, and practice squad linemen should all be ready to hear their names called, as well.
Colts star linebacker Shaquille Leonard missed most of the season this year as he dealt with a nerve issue that has limited the use of his left calf. Leonard had back surgery to the address the issue in June but never saw the results he’d hoped for. Leonard and Indianapolis staff found it necessary to undergo a second surgery and, according to Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star, it seems to have been much more effective. Leonard told Erickson that, after the second surgery, “the nerves are re-firing in his leg…in a way that didn’t happen after the first surgery.” Leonard is one of the premier players at his position, so signs that he is starting to progress back to his old self are welcome signs, for sure.

Dolphins Activate OL Liam Eichenberg, Place RB Myles Gaskin On IR

December 27th, 2022 at 8:17pm CST by Ely Allen

The Dolphins made a pair of injured reserve transactions today, according to the team’s official Twitter account, activating former starting left guard Liam Eichenberg while placing running back Myles Gaskin on IR. A year ago, both of these transactions would have appeared to be major, but at this point in the season, the moves may only affect Miami’s depth heading into a possible postseason run.

Despite being selected early in the second round of the 2021 draft, Eichenberg has not seen the success of his early-round teammates drafted before him, starters wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips, and safety Jevon Holland. Eichenberg became an immediate starter as a second-round rookie last season, starting 16 of 17 games at left tackle for Miami. The adjustment from Notre Dame to the NFL proved difficult for Eichenberg, who would grade out as the fourth-worst tackle in the league that year, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Miami tried to help Eichenberg out during his sophomore season, signing veteran Saints tackle Terron Armstead to a five-year deal and moving Eichenberg inside to left guard. While Eichenberg is no longer ranked at the very bottom of his position group (currently graded out as the 73rd-best guard out of 83), his PFF offensive grade has gotten worse since moving inside to guard. Eichenberg’s struggles came to a point when a knee injury in a Week 8 win over the Lions would land him on IR. Eichenberg’s knee injury was initially feared to be a season-ending MCL sprain, but further testing showed the potential for his return and, after proving fully healed, Eichenberg was designated for return on December 7, making tomorrow the last possible day for Miami to activate him before forcing him to sit out for the remainder of the season on IR.

In Eichenberg’s absence, the Dolphins started a second-year undrafted guard out of Middle Tennessee State, Robert Jones. Eichenberg’s return does not necessarily indicate a return to his starting role. The Dolphins may choose to go that route, but Jones has performed well in his seven starts in place of Eichenberg, even outperforming Eichenberg in the eyes of PFF. Jones currently grades out as the 39th-best guard in the NFL this season with grades far above Eichenberg’s. Head coach Mike McDaniel may choose to give Eichenberg a chance to earn his job back, or he may stick with what’s been working and count on Eichenberg as a depth piece as they push for a wild card spot in the playoffs.

Gaskin has taken quite a fall from grace after performing as Miami’s top running back for the past two seasons before 2022. It was assumed that Gaskin’s role would diminish when the team acquired running back Raheem Mostert in free agency back in March. What wasn’t expected was that college and professional teammate Salvon Ahmed would move ahead of Gaskin on the depth chart, playing in six more games than Gaskin. When Jeff Wilson was traded to Miami back in November, Gaskin became a depth piece in the running backs room.

It’s unclear exactly the reason that Gaskin is being placed on IR. Some reports claimed he missed last weekend’s game because of a knee injury, despite not appearing on the injury report, while other sources reported it was due to illness. Regardless, Gaskin will miss the remainder of the regular season, and since his team has five activations remaining, if his team can make it to the AFC championship, he will be eligible to return. Otherwise, Gaskin’s 2022 season has come to an end.

Dolphins Designate OL Liam Eichenberg For Return

December 7th, 2022 at 7:18pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins’ offensive line should soon be getting some reinforcement. Miami designated offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg for return from injured reserve, as passed along by Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (via Twitter).

Eichenberg landed on injured reserve with a knee injury in early November. He ultimately sat out the required four games before returning to practice today. While it sounds like the offensive lineman is still ramping up, coach Mike McDaniel sounds anxious to reinsert the player into the starting lineup whenever he’s ready to go.

“Most of the [practice] will be on the side,” McDaniel said of Eichenberg (via Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald), “but he’s done an unbelievable job of getting himself really to where he’s at from the injury. It’s to his credit that that type of injury he’s come back so fast. I’m excited for him because he was playing his best football when he got injured.”

The 2021 second-round pick started 16 of his 17 games as a rookie and started each of his eight games in 2022. While Pro Football Focus hasn’t been fond of Eichenberg’s performance through his first year-plus in the NFL, McDaniel indicated that the lineman was starting to find his own before getting sidelined with an injury.

The head coach’s vote of confidence seems to indicate that Eichenberg will slide back into the starting lineup. Robert Jones has started four games at left guard filling in for his injured teammate, and the second-year pro has shown better than Eichenberg, per PFF. This will be one of several OL questions for the Dolphins heading into the final stretch of the season, especially with Terron Armstead set to return.

Dolphins Place OL Liam Eichenberg On IR, Activate Austin Jackson

November 1st, 2022 at 11:45am CST by Adam La Rose

The Dolphins have made a pair of moves affecting their offensive line. The team announced on Tuesday that they have placed guard Liam Eichenberg on IR, while activating tackle Austin Jackson.

Eichenberg was carted off the field during Sunday’s win over the Vikings on Sunday, and is believed to have suffered an MCL injury. Today’s news confirms that an extended absence will be forthcoming, as he will now be sidelined for at least the next four weeks.

A second-round pick in 2021, Eichenberg was seen as one of the top tackles in last year’s class. After a successful career at Notre Dame, he primarily saw time as the left tackle in his rookie season with the Dolphins, filling in as well on the right side. His PFF grade of 50.8 was a reflection of the team’s overall struggles up front, which led to a number of significant investments to bolster the unit this offseason.

That included the five-year, $75MM deal given to Terron Armstead, a move which has so far solidified the LT position as intended. That allowed Eichenberg to shift inside, though an improvement in his play has yet to take place. The 24-year-old currently ranks 71st out of 81 qualifying guards with a PFF grade of 44.9. Miami has a number of options to turn to as his replacement, including swing tackle Greg Little.

The latter could indeed see playing time on the inside once Jackson returns to game action. The USC product suffered an injury during the team’s season opener, which quickly landed him on IR. Miami turned to Little as his replacement protecting Tua Tagovailoa‘s blindside, but with limited success, based on Little’s league-worst tackle PFF rating. Jackson had been designated to return just under three weeks ago, so the Dolphins had to activate him ahead of Sunday’s game for him to be eligible to play again in 2022.

This move will leave the Dolphins with six activations for the remainder of the campaign. In addition to Eichenberg, the team has cornerback Byron Jones available to be activated at some point. In the short-term, at least, they will move forward with one staring o-lineman back in the fold while needing to replace another.

Injury Updates: Eichenberg, Smith, Parker, Moore, Bellinger

October 31st, 2022 at 9:17pm CST by Ely Allen

Dolphins guard Liam Eichenberg was carted off the field in this Sunday’s trip to Detroit. The injury isn’t as serious as initially feared, but it appears Eichenberg has suffered an MCL injury and will miss some time, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Miami will have options to replace Eichenberg. Michael Deiter started eight games at center last year for the Dolphins and 15 games at Eichenberg’s left guard position in 2019. Brandon Shell and Greg Little are also options with plenty of starting experience, albeit at tackle. Robert Jones is also an option after starting a game last year.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:

The Vikings are expected to be down another tight end after Irv Smith suffered a high ankle sprain in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. With Ben Ellefson on injured reserve, Minnesota will have to rely on veteran Johnny Mundt who came over from Los Angeles in the offseason. Mundt has had limited targets this year with Minnesota’s litany of talented pass catchers, but his 12 receptions are already more than he had during his five years with the Rams. The Vikings will also likely explore the option of signing one of its two practice squad tight ends, Jacob Hollister and Nick Muse.
After suffering a knee sprain on the first play of the Patriots’ win over the Jets this weekend, wide receiver DeVante Parker is not expected to miss extended time, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Rapoport reports that if he does miss time, it should only be one game, especially since New England has a bye after next Sunday’s contest against the Colts. He should definitely be back in time for a rematch with the Jets in Week 11.
Colts cornerback Kenny Moore suffered a right hand sprain in practice last week, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. As Boyd inquired about the injury, Moore revealed that he has also been playing with a torn ligament in his left hand since the start of the season. Neither injury is expected to hold Moore out of any games, but this interview offered a glimpse into what Moore has been playing through this year.
After a gruesome freak accident that saw Jaguars rookie linebacker Devin Lloyd strike Giants tight end Daniel Bellinger directly in the eye on a whiffed attempt to punch the ball out, Bellinger reportedly “underwent successful surgery to correct fractures on (the) lower window of (his) eye socket and damage to (his) septum,” according to Fowler. Bellinger hopes to return in two to six weeks, but other sources indicate that four to six weeks is a much more reasonable timeline.

AFC East Notes: Patricia, Dolphins, Armstead, Jets

August 20th, 2022 at 12:44pm CST by Ben Levine

If you’re keeping track at home, Matt Patricia now appears to be the favorite to be New England’s offensive play-caller. As Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com writes, Patricia was the only coach calling plays from the Patriots sideline during last night’s preseason contest. This is a change from the preseason opener, when Patricia alternated play-calling duties with Joe Judge.

Bill Belichick has continued to play coy on the entire situation, and he even hinted after the game that Patricia was merely communicating with Mac Jones vs. calling plays. Regardless of who ends up calling plays on offense, it’s clear that the organization is going with a committee approach to replace departed offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

“It’s still a process,” Belichick told reporters after the game (via NESN.com). “He (Matt Patricia)… communication with the quarterback? Yeah. But as far as calling the plays, there’s a whole other process on that.

However, if you ask some NFL sources, then it may be neither Patricia nor Judge calling offensive plays for the Patriots in 2022. As Albert Breer of SI.com writes, there are a “lot of smart NFL people who know the Patriots well” and believe it will ultimately be Belichick who ends up calling plays for Jones and the Patriots offense. Breer cautions that the head coach will end up calling plays “at some point this season,” perhaps a hint that the organization may role into the season with one of Patricia/Judge but will be prepared to pull the plug on the experiment.

More notes out of the AFC East…

A Patriots‘ seventh-round rookie may end up missing the entire season. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, offensive tackle Andrew Stueber doesn’t have a timetable for his return from the NFI list. Stueber suffered an injury while training after the draft, and Reiss hints that the injury could end up delaying the Michigan product’s NFL debut until the 2023 season.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has told league executives that he intends to leave the Dolphins organization to his family, according to Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal (on Twitter). While this isn’t a huge surprise, it seems pretty clear that Ross won’t be leaving the franchise to limited partner Bruce Beal. Both Ross and Beal were slapped with suspensions following Miami’s tampering investigation.
The Dolphins inked left tackle Terron Armstead to a massive deal this offseason. However, the offensive lineman has never been able to make it through an entire season healthy, and that includes a 2021 campaign when he was limited to only eight snaps. If Armstead is forced to miss any time, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald suggests (on Twitter) that the coaching staff could end up moving right tackle Austin Jackson or guard Liam Eichenberg to LT, although the reporter notes that coach Mike McDaniel prefers to keep players at their starting position instead of shifting them around.
Duane Brown‘s two-year, $22MM deal with the Jets includes a $7.88MM signing bonus and three void years, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter). As a result, the offensive tackle’s cap hit for the 2022 season is only $3.69MM. The veteran will earn a base salary of $1.12MM in 2022, but he’ll see that number jump to $9MM.

AFC East Notes: Jets, White, Eichenberg

July 28th, 2022 at 3:17pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets have moved Mekhi Becton to right tackle, with Robert Saleh citing George Fant‘s athleticism as making him a better blindside fit. Although the second-year Jets HC said Becton is appropriately athletic for the left tackle post, the former first-round pick has faced steady scrutiny regarding his weight. Becton was rumored to be over 400 pounds last year, and Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes the third-year blocker was thought to be in the 390s as recently as minicamp, when he would not confirm his weight. That said, Cimini adds Becton looks slimmer at Jets training camp. Saleh said the Louisville product has “got himself into football shape.” While Becton would not confirm his training camp weight, he said he hit the goal he targeted. Becton’s listed weight is 363 pounds. Given the rumblings about Jets dissatisfaction with their largest player’s frame at points, this will continue to be an issue to monitor as he transitions to a new position.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

James White signed a fourth Patriots contract this offseason, agreeing to a two-year deal worth $5MM. But the longtime Pats passing-down back is recovering from a September 2021 hip subluxation injury, one that could land him on the reserve/PUP list to start this season. The ninth-year vet was still walking with a noticeable limp barely a week before training camp, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. White signed for only $500K guaranteed, and the Patriots drafted two running backs — Pierre Strong (Round 4) and Kevin Harris (Round 6) — this year. With the team already having Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson locked into roles, Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed wonders if White is a release candidate. White led all backs in receiving yardage from 2015-20 (3,161), Reiss points out, but Strong — he of a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, this year’s top running back time — stands to be another option the Pats could use. The Pats slow-played both White and Shane Vereen‘s debuts as passing-down backs, but White’s injury could force the team’s hand.
The Dolphins are moving closer to giving Liam Eichenberg another try as a starter. The 2021 second-round pick is the clear frontrunner to be the team’s left guard starter, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes. Eichenberg and 2020 fourth-rounder Solomon Kindley are vying for that job, and while pronouncements about O-line battles before padded practices are premature, the Dolphins have more invested in the Notre Dame product. Eichenberg spent more time at left tackle last season, but Terron Armstead will take over there this year.
Denzel Mims has been attached to trade/cut rumors for a bit now, and Cimini predicts the Jets will end up trading the former second-round pick before Week 1. Mims delivered a solid offseason, but his lack of a special teams role and clear place out of the Jets’ top three at the position has long made him vulnerable. The Jets have four receivers they figure to look to before Mims, with Garrett Wilson joining a stable of Corey Davis, Elijah Moore and the recently re-signed Braxton Berrios. Despite being the 2020 No. 59 overall pick, Mims (31 career catches for 490 yards) would not fetch much in a deal.
The Jets plan to use John Franklin-Myers as a defensive end in base sets and inside on passing downs, with Saleh calling the veteran the team’s Justin Tuck– or Brandon Graham-type D-lineman, per The Athletic’s Connor Hughes (on Twitter). This year will feature a more crowded Jets D-line, with Carl Lawson back and first-rounder Jermaine Johnson in the fold. Franklin-Myers, whom the Jets extended last year, will still have a key role.

Dolphins Likely To Use Connor Williams At C

June 2nd, 2022 at 1:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

A left tackle in college, Connor Williams lined up at guard throughout his four-year Cowboys tenure. The Dolphins have something new in mind for the free agent offensive line acquisition.

Williams said Thursday it is “really likely” he plays center in Miami, via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. This has loomed as a possibility for months, and Williams has been working at the position since April. While it is interesting the team has this path mapped out before any padded practices commence, Williams sliding to center would fill a need and open the door to multiple lineup combinations on this O-line.

The Dolphins signed Williams and Terron Armstead to lucrative deals, particularly in Armstead’s case, locking them into starting roles. Robert Hunt fared decently at right guard last season, even beyond his memorable end zone dash that did not count, grading as the top Dolphins O-lineman in Pro Football Focus’ view. PFF rated last year’s Miami front as the NFL’s worst. Should the Dolphins stay the Williams-at-center course, he will replace Michael Deiter. Still, it appears three starters from last season are in line to return under Mike McDaniel.

Williams sliding to center will lead to a left guard competition between Liam Eichenberg and Solomon Kindley, Jackson adds. Eichenberg served as Miami’s primary left tackle last season, with the 2021 second-rounder moving 2020 first-rounder Austin Jackson off that spot. Jackson is ticketed to give right tackle a try, according to the Herald. With the Tyreek Hill trade pushing the start of their draft participation into Round 3, the Dolphins did not draft a lineman this year.

The USC product was Miami’s primary left tackle as a rookie and made starts at left tackle and left guard last season. PFF graded Jackson as a below-average guard and viewed Eichenberg as a bottom-tier tackle. This right tackle opportunity looks to represent a high-stakes situation for the once-coveted prospect, who has not lived up to his draft slot yet as a pro. Longtime right tackle option Jesse Davis signed with the Vikings this offseason. A 2020 fourth-rounder, Kindley made 13 guard starts as a rookie but worked as a first-stringer just twice last season.

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