Now that the dust has settled on a 2023 season that started with so much promise, fans can start to ask how this Miami Dolphins squad can get over the proverbial hump in 2024. Most fans have ideas on how the Dolphins can be better next season and we aim to investigate some of the more popular ones. We started with finding ways to improve the tight end room and then looked at potential changes to their interior defensive line. Last week we talked about finding a solid third contributor at receiver and now we take on the mighty task of getting this offensive line ready for week one.
Why This Position Matters
I would say it’s an unheralded position group, but after a decade of struggling with offensive line play (with the exception of a couple of seasons), Dolphins fans know all too well how critical it can be to success. They took a step forward last season, even while sustaining a lot of injuries, but are now likely to lose two (maybe three) starters to free agency. This offense (and Tua Tagovailoa) make things easier on the line by using pre-snap motion and getting the football out quickly, but there is still a baseline they need to reach in order to have success on offense… particularly in the running game.
It used to be that you could use big money or draft picks on offensive tackle and then just fill in the interior as an after thought. With the proliferation of elite interior pass rushers in the NFL, that just isn’t the case anymore. If you play in the AFC, you need to make it through Chris Jones, Justin Madubuike, and Quinnen Williams. In the NFC, it’s Aaron Donald, Dexter Lawrence, and Jalen Carter. There’s no where to hide subpar players on the offensive line these days and this offense has historically struggled against interior pressure.
Where Are They Now?
As we stated before, they took a step forward this year. Let’s take a look at who played, how many snaps they were on the field during the regular season, and how PFF graded their performance.
RBLK = Run block grade PBLK = Pass block grade (both out of 100)
Austin Jackson (OT) 989 snaps / 68.8 RBLK / 64.7 PBLK /
Liam Eichenberg (C, OG) 815 snaps / 50.7 RBLK / 44.8 PBLK /
Lester Cotton (OG) 616 snaps / 45.4 RBLK / 57.2 PBLK /
Kendall Lamm (OT) 613 snaps / 55.3 RBLK / 67.1 PBLK /
Robert Hunt (OG) 547 snaps / 75.9 RBLK / 79.5 PBLK /
Terron Armstead (OT) 524 snaps / 75.9 RBLK / 79.5 PBLK /
Connor Williams (C) 497 snaps / 90.5 RBLK / 71.7 PBLK /
Robert Jones (OG) 418 snaps / 65.7 RBLK / 47.0 PBLK /
Isaiah Wynn (OG) 392 snaps / 43.2 RBLK / 67.5 PBLK /
Kion Smith (OT) 70 snaps / 56.9 RBLK / 86.1 PBLK /
Jonotthan Harrison (OG) 9 snaps / 56.1 RBLK / 67.2 PBLK /
The Eagles front seven came to play too. Tua was able to overcome some of these quick pressures, but the offense really wore down (especially the left side of the OL) as the game went on. Miami should consider OL at the trade deadline. pic.twitter.com/4OykklfTej
— George Forder (@GeorgeForder3) October 24, 2023
Now PFF’s grades aren’t the end all/be all, but they give you a pretty general idea whether a player struggled or not. The other part of the puzzle is actually watching the film yourself and taking into account the play by play and season long context to really determine how guys performed. Terron Armstead and Robert Hunt both continued to play at a high level, which we have come to expect. There were three players that took steps forward in this offense though.
When on the field, Connor Williams was one of the best centers in the NFL. While there were some snapping issues, he has seemingly come into his own in just his second season at that position. Austin Jackson has also taken a step forward and earned himself a lucrative extension. While the grading tracks for those two, the other name you may be surprised to hear (especially while looking at their grading) is Liam Eichenberg.
From week 9 on, his run blocking grade (60.5) and pass blocking grade (56.3) are both substantially higher than his full season figure. This is in the midst of learning another new position (center) in just his third NFL season. Eichenberg will be under contract for the 2024 season and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him start at either interior position, especially at guard if Miami can find a solid option at center.
Options This Offseason
The easiest thing to do would be to resign some of their impending free agents. Connor Williams, Robert Hunt, Isaiah Wynn, and Kendall Lamm were all major contributors on this offensive line and are all likely to reach free agency later this week. The most expensive of them is probably going to be Robert Hunt, so there’s a very real chance that they won’t chase the market if it’s as crazy for him as seems likely. Connor Williams would be in for a major pay day, but the fact that he’s still recovering from a torn ACL certainly muddies the waters. Lamm and Wynn could likely be brought back on inexpensive contracts.
Outside of bringing back these players, let’s look at some options in free agency and the draft….
Free Agency
With how this offense operates, you don’t necessarily need five all pros on the offensive line to have success. For that reason, and considering Miami’s cap situation, it would make the most sense for the Dolphins to look for 2nd and 3rd tier bargain free agents. With the news of Armstead returning on a reworked deal and the extension of Austin Jackson, we’ll focus mainly on interior players-with the hope that Miami is going to bring back Lamm as a swing tackle.
Some names to keep an eye on today are Lloyd Cushenberry (C), Dalton Risner (OG), Aaron Brewer (C), Damien Lewis (OG), John Runayn (OG), Tyler Biadasz (C), Garham Glasgow (OG), Evan Brown (C), and Laken Tomlinson (OG). It’s actually a fairly hefty market for interior offensive line, but there are a ton of teams with a need there. There’s a chance that Miami has their eye on a certain player and will pursue them early, but don’t be surprised if Grier sits back and let’s the market play out. Some of these players are guaranteed to linger and could sign at a bargain in a few weeks. The hope is to repeat what they found with Connor Williams. He was a mid tier guard free agent that they signed for an inexpensive contract and helped to develop into one of the best interior offensive lineman in football.
NFL Draft
There is a huge contingent of Miami Dolphins fans that want to see Grier go after Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson with their first pick in the NFL draft. While it would be out of character for Grier to spend a first round pick on a non-premium position, the success of day one/two centers over the last couple of seasons (Creed Humphrey & Tyler Linderbaum) may compel Grier to make that move…. if Powers-Johnson is there at 21. Some other 1st and 2nd round interior players include Zach Frazier (WVU), Graham Barton (Duke), Christian Haynes (Conn), Sedrick Van Pran (UGA) and Christian Mahogany (BC). If they don’t spend big in free agency (or bring back their impending FA’s) an early selection to fill a major need could make sense.
A TON of quality interior players tend to fall to the 3rd/4th rounds as well. Miami doesn’t currently have a 3rd or 4th round selection, so the idea of trading back with one of their first two picks and selecting someone there could make a lot of sense. Either way, exiting the 2024 draft without picking up someone to develop on the offensive line would be a mistake given how injury prone this group has been for the Dolphins.
Final Thoughts
If you ask most Dolphins fans, you’ll hear that Grier has never been quite aggressive enough when it comes to filling the needs at offensive line. There could be some truth to that as they’ve had poor performances upfront cost them games in the past. Even last year where their play took a step forward, injuries and a lack of depth hurt them at times. So, what would I do to beef up the offensive line?
Like we said before, this team doesn’t need five all pros up front to have success. The offensive scheme and quarterback are extremely line-friendly… for that reason, I would be looking to add as many solid/average players here as possible. That means grabbing up two or three mid tier free agents on a bargain and drafting at least one interior player to potentially start (but at least to develop). If Jackson Powers-Johnson is there at 21, I am running that pick in. I get why Grier drafts premium positions early, but we are in win-now mode and they desperately need to infuse young talent into the offensive line. Go get a day one starter at a position of need and lock down your center for the next four years… easy call.