It’s been a busy week for the Miami Dolphins, and opinions are all over the spectrum regarding how well Chris Grier has handled this free agency thus far. While you can debate whether the team’s linebacker group is improved and whether Kendall Fuller is an upgrade over Xavien Howard, as I look at this roster this weekend, the Dolphins, as they are about to enter Week 2, should have one thing on their mission statement: Build up both the offensive and defensive lines.

The Dolphins, in the trenches, on both lines of scrimmage, are void of talent.

With the addition of Jordyn Brooks and Shaq Barrett, you can say Miami is fine at linebacker.

With Kendall Fuller’s and Jordan Poyer’s additions, you can say Miami is fine in the secondary.

On offense, Miami may need depth at WR and RB, but that is small potatoes, and no heavy lifting will be needed to find that.

Mike White is going nowhere, and Miami has quarterback depth.

The Dolphins have signed two tight ends and have upgraded that position group.

Whether we like it or not, Danny Crossman and Jake Bailey are returning, and Miami’s special teams is what it is for 2024.

So, the spotlight moves to the offensive and defensive lines, which will determine the fate of the 2024 Miami Dolphins.

Yes, I know it’s March 16th as I type this, and plenty of guys are still out there to sign, and we still have the draft. But if you look at who Miami has signed already, at least on the defensive line, I’m not sure they will add more bodies for that position group for the remainder of free agency.

Christian Wilkins and Raekwon Davis have left, and Jonathan Harris, Benito Jones, Neville Gallimore, Daviyon Nixon, and Isaiah Mack are the new faces coming in. Those are five new players, and I don’t know how many more defensive linemen Chris Grier will sign at this point.

Do I fully expect Miami to address DE/DT in the early rounds of the draft? Yes.

Do I expect a rookie to come in immediately and make a huge impact on the field in 2024? No.

Out of all the names brought in, all are clearly downgrades from Christian Wilkins, and in all honesty, they are all probably downgrades from Raekwon Davis. Hence, why I think we signed so many. Let’s load up the roster with four or five, or six names and hope one or two hits and can be decent.

Would I like to see Miami add one more defensive end or defensive tackle in free agency? Yes, and not just a warm body or someone who will have to fight for a job in training camp. I hope that, in the next few weeks or after June 1st, Miami will bring in someone with a better resume than Jonathan Harris, who has played in 33 career games and has a one-lifetime sack.

Bring in someone with a better resume than Neville Gallimore, who had 16 tackles in 17 games this past season with the Cowboys.

Or someone I will trust more than Benito Jones, who has 40 tackles in 44 career games he has played in.

Chris Grier lost two starters on his defensive line and thus far has signed five backups. I get it, as we needed depth at those positions, and again, I am not naive to the fact Miami may look to draft an answer for losing Christian Wilkins. I get that and am on board with that. However, another proven commodity, with a better resume and more proven production year over year in the NFL, must be signed if Miami wants to be competitive in 2024 with other teams in the AFC.

The names brought in are not NFL starters.

On the other side of the line of scrimmage, Miami’s offensive line is a work in progress. Austin Jackson and Terron Armstead are back as the book-end tackles, which is fine. Aaron Brewer is in at center, which is also fine.

What’s the plan for the rest? Will Miami bring Kendall Lamm back to backup Armstead? If yes, great. If not, we know we need a trustworthy backup to Armstead, as he will miss games. Or are they fine with Kion Smith being that back-up?

Robert Hunt is gone. Is the plan to replace him with Liam Eichenberg or Robert Jones? If so, that is a clear downgrade from where we were with this offensive line in 2023 at that position.

What is going on at left guard?

I would not be shocked if Chris Grier, in either rounds 1 or 2, selects an offensive tackle as Armstead’s backup and maybe a long-term answer when Armstead is gone. And I wouldn’t be surprised if they drafted a guard or center in the early rounds.

However, with Chris Grier’s history of drafting offensive linemen, Austin Jackson took until Year 4 to play well. Eichenberg, it took until year 3 (last season), and some would debate if he was even good last season. For Robert Hunt, it took until year two as he struggled as a rookie.

So, if the draft is where we are going to find this answer, that’s great for 2025 and beyond. But what about this season? How will Miami protect Tua in 2024?

I know we have heard the rumblings out of Miami Gardens that 2024 will be a soft reset. Miami is going to take a step back this year, get the cap in order, and look to replenish some of the big losses with cheaper, younger, unproven players as they want to stockpile compensatory picks in 2025.

The actions kind of scream “soft reset” at the moment. And that’s okay; I kinda get it, as Miami has lost far more talent than it has brought in over the past week.

But as of March 16th, Dolphins fans have a good idea of this team’s composition. Again, we know more players will be signed as free agents and we will add a key piece or two in the draft.

But from now until the start of training camp, Chris Grier, Mike McDaniel, and the entire Dolphins scouting staff and front office should focus on both the defensive and offensive lines.

Currently, the Dolphins are subpar on both, and a lot of work still needs to be done at those positions if Miami wants to compete for a playoff spot in 2024.