Has the Offensive Line ever been good for the Miami Dolphins?
It is hard to remember a time when a Dolphins quarterback was actually well-protected by their offensive line. From Tua Tagovailoa to Ryan Tannehill, there has been a consistent glaring issue in the roster that never seems to get better.
According to Teamrankings.com, since 2003, Miami has only been in the top ten twice for sacks allowed per game. They have been the bottom-place team (2019 and 2013) as many times as they have been in the top ten (10th in 2022 and tied for 3rd in 2005).
| Year | Times sacked per game (average) | Ranking in NFL |
| 2022 | 2.2 | 10th |
| 2021 | 2.4 | 19th |
| 2020 | 2.1 | 14th |
| 2019 | 3.6 | T-31st |
| 2018 | 3.3 | T-27th |
| 2017 | 2.1 | 13th |
| 2016 | 2.1 | 12th |
| 2015 | 2.8 | 26th |
| 2014 | 2.9 | 23rd |
| 2013 | 3.6 | 32nd |
| 2012 | 2.4 | 20th |
| 2011 | 3.3 | 30th |
| 2010 | 2.4 | 21st |
| 2009 | 2.1 | 17th |
| 2008 | 1.7 | 12th |
| 2007 | 2.6 | 23rd |
| 2006 | 2.6 | 21st |
| 2005 | 1.6 | T-3rd |
| 2004 | 3.3 | T-28th |
| 2003 | 2.0 | 14th |
This will be the biggest concern going into 2023.
A Stacked Roster Hindered By A Poor Offensive Line
Miami has been seen as a dark horse by many coming into the 2023 season, but the main narrative surrounding the team’s season is the health of Tua and whether he can last the full season.
In each of his first three seasons as a pro, Tua has missed time through injury at some point. He was the backup to Ryan Fitzpatrick to start his 2020 rookie year, but he also missed games due to injury. It hasn’t improved since and has arguably gotten worse. Whether it has been a fracture to his ribs or concussions, it has not been a smooth ride in the former Alabama QB’s time with the team, and this is not even to mention his fractured relationship with former head coach Brian Flores.
Miami has, at times, attempted to fix its offensive line. In the same round they took Tua in 2020, they also took right tackle, Austin Jackson. However, this has so far not worked out, and Jackson has been a constant turnstile between the trenches. The same can be said for 2021 second-rounder Liam Eichenberg.
The Dolphins front office added Terron Armstead and Connor Williams in the 2022 offseason. Armstead earned Pro Bowl honors last season, but his injury history is as concerning as Tua’s.
Miami has it all set to make a Cinderella-type run to Vegas for Super Bowl 58. From Tyreek Hill to Jaylen Waddle out wide and Raheem Mostert in the backfield to a defense featuring Christian Wilkins, Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, Jalen Ramsey (once he returns from injury), Xavien Howard, and Jevon Holland, this is a roster with a nice blend of exciting young talent and experienced veterans still at the top of their game. The offensive line features none, with Hunt the only lineman other than Armstead that has shown any promise. That is, if he can sort out his false starts, with only five players in the entire NFL recording more.
Provided no injuries happen to any more key players, there is no denying that the offensive line will be the thing that holds this team back, as it always seems to have done.
Tua’s Long-Term Health
For the offensive line, it is not just about making sure Tagovailoa is healthy for this season; it is for the next five years and more. Miami took him fifth overall in 2020 for a reason and has stacked him up with speedy receivers to make sure he fulfills his potential. Let’s be honest; he is one or two concussions away from being forced to retire.
Drew Brees 2.0 is the ceiling for Tua, and if he wants to replicate even half of what Brees did in his illustrious career, then the offensive line needs to improve. However, no additions were made to the line, which has pros and cons.
Whilst on the one hand, there is something to be said about keeping the same core. At the end of the day, they need to ensure they are all on the same page when the ball is snapped. However, you cannot look at their 2022 performance and think that this was acceptable, even if only nine teams had fewer sacks allowed per game than the Dolphins.
Albeit in training camp, but their matchup against the Falcons in practice left little to be desired. If the clips that we saw were in a game, then Tua would have been crushed. While the benefit of the doubt needs to be considered here for the context of the clips, this cannot carry on going into Week One and beyond.
Hey, look, the sky is falling.
Seriously, are we all supposed to be doom-scrolling now? A couple thoughts on points in the piece:
“Has the Offensive Line ever been good for the Miami Dolphins?”
Yes, yes it has.
“2022 2.2 10th”
These are the sacks per game stats for the Dolphins. If you just look at Tua, he was sacked 21 times in 13 games, which is 1.6 per game and would be good for 5th place.
“He was the backup to Ryan Fitzpatrick to start his 2020 rookie year, but he also missed games due to injury.”
Not true. Once Tua replaced Fitzpatrick he missed one game due to a finger issue he wanted to play through. Flores kept him on the bench. This was the week after he was pulled from the Denver game, so the finger may not have been the whole reason.
“not even to mention his fractured relationship with former head coach Brian Flores.”
And there is no need to mention it. Flores is gone and has nothing to do with this team.
“this is a roster with a nice blend of exciting young talent and experienced veterans still at the top of their game. The offensive line features none”
So Armstead, WIlliams, and Wynn are not experienced veterans? Hunt has pro-bowl potential at guard, that is not exciting? If Jackson actually figures it out this season, and signs are pointing that way, he could start at tackle for a decade. I think that is exciting.
“That is, if he can sort out his false starts, with only five players in the entire NFL recording more.”
Yes, false starts are annoying, and only five players had more than Hunt. But he still only had five. That is one every three games. That is not a big impact.
“Provided no injuries happen to any more key players, there is no denying that the offensive line will be the thing that holds this team back, as it always seems to have done.”
Really? No denying? I’ll deny it. Was the offensive line more of a problem last season than the defense that averaged over 30 points allowed a game on the road? If Tua hadn’t been awesome in some of those road games Miami would not have been in the playoffs.
“Let’s be honest; he is one or two concussions away from being forced to retire.”
No, he isn’t. Concussions are bad. We don’t want players to get them. But they do. There are a lot of players who have had more concussions than Tua. He will be playing against one of them this season in Aaron Rodgers. In hockey, another brutal sport with a lot of hits to the head, Syndey Crosby missed most of three seasons in his mid 20s due to concussions and is still going strong in his mid 30s.
“However, no additions were made to the line, which has pros and cons.”
Really? Because I was pretty sure that Miami signed three veteran linemen that between them have something like 140 starts in the NFL. Those sure seem like additions, especially now that one of them could end up as the starting LG.
“However, you cannot look at their 2022 performance and think that this was acceptable, even if only nine teams had fewer sacks allowed per game than the Dolphins.”
If only 9 teams gave up fewer sacks when only two linemen played the whole season and they went about five deep on the tackle dept chart, then I think they did ok.
“left little to be desired”
I don’t think this is what you meant to say. This would mean they did well.
They sure worry about cornerback.Tua health is number 1 priority. The o-line should be more important then cornerback.I hope and pray this group improves this season .If things go bad Grier should be gone