The Miami Dolphins possess the pieces to having one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Miami has four former first-round picks, three of which were taken in the first half of the first round, on its offensive line depth chart in training camp.
Yet the group has continued to show signs of growing pains early in camp.
In the team’s very first practice with pads this week, the Dolphins’ defensive line recorded an astonishing seven sacks. That’s great news for Ndamukong Suh, Mario Williams and company on the defensive front, who face their fare share of question marks too entering 2016, but it’s obviously a bad sign for the team’s offensive line that allowed those seven sacks.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is no stranger to pressure, as he’s been sacked 184 times since coming into the league in 2012. That’s an average of almost 2.9 sacks per game.
So the idea for Miami here using so many first-rounders and acquiring another former early pick (Branden Albert) in free agency is to sure up that front for Tannehill. The Dolphins could have addressed several other needs with their 13th overall pick this offseason, but again, they decided to go with a lineman, rolling the dice on Laremy Tunsil.
On paper, Albert and Tunsil on the left side and then three-time Pro Bowl Mike Pouncey at center would be the beginnings of an elite line, but unfortunately, Tunsil has been slow to catch on at guard. Albert made the Pro Bowl last season, but now 32, he is beginning to show signs of age at least from a healing perspective; Albert has missed nine games over the last two years combined.
For that reason, the Dolphins want Tunsil to be ready to play left tackle too. It’s great to have a versatile lineman, but in terms of Tunsil winning a starting job, it would probably be much easier if he was concentrated on just one position.
But Tunsil learning two positions isn’t unusual for Dolphins offensive linemen in camp this year. The Sun Sentinel reports every linemen except Pouncey, Albert and right tackle Ja’Wuan James are learning two positions to create roster flexibility.
“We are mixing and matching right now trying to give our guys a chance to compete and see what our best lineup is. It will be going on the whole season. It could jell early, it could jell midseason and it could jell late,” Dolphins offensive line coach Chris Foerster said. “It’s a process. Guys are working really, really hard, and we are hoping for sooner than later.”
Training camp is obviously the time to experiment and competition should never be discouraged. Furthermore, a lineman knowing multiple positions is a great asset, but it would be beneficial for Miami if the Dolphins coaching staff chose an offensive line combination sooner rather than later and gave those five players all the first-team reps at one position.
Even incumbent starters such as Dallas Thomas need as much work as they can get. Pro Football Focus rated Thomas last among all NFL guards in 2015. That’s even more of a reason to have Tunsil dedicate all of his time to left guard.
And judging by the seven sacks allowed in one of the first practices, Thomas and Tunsil aren’t the only players who need drastic practice time to improve.
