The Latest on the Dolphins Offensive Line
The Miami Dolphins keep adding pieces to their offensive line in the early stages of free agency, but there has not been a splash signing up front like there was last year with Terron Armstead or even Connor Williams.
The latest moves involved bringing back tackle Geron Christian and then bringing in interior offensive lineman Dan Feeney from the New York Jets.
At first glance, these appear to be depth signings, though Feeney maybe can compete with 2021 second-round pick Liam Eichenberg for the starting left guard job.
Feeney does have a lot of starting experience, having started every game for the Los Angeles Chargers from 2018-20 — before Frank Smith arrived for one season as Chargers run game coordinator/offensive line coach.
But Feeney started only seven of 33 games for a Jets offensive line that had its issues the past two seasons.
Christian, meanwhile, joined the Dolphins late last season after a stint with the Kansas City Chiefs but didn't appear in any game.
Those moves followed the re-signing of veteran Kendall Lamm after he joined the team late last season and was injured after he started at right tackle in the Week 17 game against the New England Patriots.
Christian and Lamm were among the five tackles on the Dolphins roster at the end of last season who were headed for free agency, along with Eric Fisher, Brandon Shell and Greg Little.
NO BIG NAME ADDED TO THE OFFENSIVE LINE YET
Whether any of those three end up re-signing with the Dolphins remains to be seen, but none would register the way the signing of Williams and more so Armstead did last year.
And while it's fair to point out that free agency is far from over and the Dolphins didn't sign Armstead until the second week of free agency last year, it sure does appear that Miami is content with bringing back the same nucleus up front.
And, yes, that would entail giving Eichenberg and 2020 first-round pick Austin Jackson every opportunity to start at left guard and right tackle, respectively.
There's logic there given the investment the team made in those players because the sample size for those players at those positions remains small, particularly after Jackson was limited to only two games last season because of ankle issues.
This, of course, would suggest a degree of confidence that they can get the job done because the Dolphins would be foolish to jeopardize what they have on offense with inadequate play at left guard and right tackle.
What constitute "inadequate" becomes the next question and then we can look at last season as a gauge.
While nobody would accuse the Dolphins of having a great offensive line, it says here that group was more than adequate when Armstead was in the lineup at left tackle.
When Armstead had to miss the games against the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings in October or the second half against Houston in late November, the pass protection was very inadequate — if not borderline awful.
The effort was a lot more respectable when Armstead also had to miss the Week 13 game at San Francisco and the offensive issues that day shouldn't be pinned on the offensive line.
The bottom line is the key to the offensive line in 2023 will be as much Armstead staying in the lineup as any potential that could be made, though obviously it wouldn't hurt if the Dolphins could add a front-line player.
But the Dolphins only had so much money and cap space with which to maneuver and a lot of holes to fill, and they did add a big name already with cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Is it possible there'll be a big name coming to help out the offensive line? With the Dolphins, it remains a case of never saying never.
But it's just as likely they're looking to run it back — as they have at running back — and hoping for continued development from Eichenberg and Jackson with the depth to make it work if issues arise.
