Is Miami Going to Run it Back with Essentially the Same Offensive Line?

The Miami Dolphins’ offensive line is always a hot topic of conversation every offseason.

Has Miami done enough to improve the offensive line?

Has Miami improved the offensive line?

Why isn’t Miami doing more to improve the offensive line?

There are three questions fans and followers of this team ask each offseason from the start of free agency until training camp.

Last offseason in 2023, when the Dolphins made minimal moves to improve the offensive line from where it was in the 2022 season, and last April, Chris Grier famously said, “You guys are probably more worried about (offensive line) than we are.”

While Miami’s offensive line wasn’t bad last year, as Miami did have the NFL’s #1 overall offense when the regular season ended, it wasn’t good enough, either.

The team lacked the physicality required to run the ball on the road in cold weather and elements, and the pass blocking was very poor, forcing Tua to get the ball out in under 2.5 seconds.

So, heading into this offseason, many Dolphins fans hope and pray that the Team will revamp and improve the offensive line.

I mean, Miami isn’t going to run it back with pretty much the same group, are they?

Well…….

I’m afraid I may have some bad news.

As we enter Week 2 of free agency, the Dolphins appear on the verge of running it back with essentially the same offensive line as last year.

Austin Jackson has a new long-term contract and is entrenched in his spot at right tackle.

Terron Armstead restructured his contract and will be here in 2024, and he didn’t retire.

Miami re-signed starting left guard Isaiah Wynn on Monday, and he will return this season.

Connor Williams will miss a large portion of this upcoming season, and his contract expired, so instead of trying to re-sign him, Miami went out and signed free agent Aaron Brewer. He is a perfectly fine player and center, but he is a downgrade from Connor Williams on the field in terms of blocking.

Kendall Lamm is still unsigned as he played a huge role in 2023, stepping in for Armstead when Armstead was out, but on Monday, Miami signed free agent Jack Driscoll to most likely fill that role. So, it appears Miami lost a key backup and filled his spot by signing a key backup.

Oh, yeah, Robert Hunt is gone. In the past two to three years, he was probably Miami’s most consistent and best offensive lineman. Who will replace him? Liam Eichenberg or Robert Jones are the likely candidates. Two guys that are in-house.

Lester Cotton will also be in the mix to backup both Guard spots this season.

Sure, Miami could add someone in the draft, but Chris Grier’s draft history is to only draft “premium positions” in the first two rounds. QB, WR, OT, Edge, and CB. So, I don’t see Grier taking a Guard or Center in round 1. Maybe they take an offensive tackle, have him compete to start at guard for one season, and then have him replace Armstead a year from now. That’s possible.

But even with offensive linemen drafted, it took Austin Jackson until year 4 to “get good.” It took Liam Eichenberg until year 3 to “get good.” (If you want to call last season good for Eichenberg, he just wasn’t as bad as he was in previous seasons.) Even Robert Hunt needed until year 2 to “get good.”

So, any offensive line draft pick by Chris Grier will need a minimum of a season to be a viable option as a starter. Which is fine, but what about 2024?

Frank Smith and Butch Barry are good, but they aren’t magicians.

Who is going to block and protect Tua this year?

It seems that Chris Grier’s words from last year remain true this year: “You guys are probably more worried about (the offensive line) than we are.”

Is Miami going to run it back in 2024 with many of the same faces on the offensive line they had in 2023?

It is beginning to look like the answer may be yes.

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