Help Coming for Offensive Line; Is It Even Needed?

Once very much maligned, the Miami Dolphins offensive line has become a strength in recent weeks and a catalyst for the current winning streak that's got the team back "in the hunt" in the AFC playoff picture.

And now the Dolphins are ready to welcome back a young player for whom the team had high hopes, guard/center Andrew Meyer.

Head coach Mike McDaniel indicated Monday that Meyer would return to practice this week for the first time since the Dolphins placed him on injured reserve when they made their moves to get down to the 53-player limit in late August.

The Dolphins felt confident enough in Meyer's potential and his ability to return in 2025 that they used one of their eight IR return designations at that time — they also used one on kicker Jason Sanders, who has yet to return.

But here's the thing: The Dolphins offensive line has been playing so well recently that it's fair to wonder where Meyer will fit in.

MAKING ROOM FOR MEYER

The Dolphins have carried eight offensive linemen on the active roster all season, with veterans Daniel Brunskill, Larry Borom and Kendall Lamm serving as the backups behind the starting five of Patrick Paul, Jonah Savaiinaea, Aaron Brewer, Cole Strange and Austin Jackson.

With Lamm being made inactive Sunday in favor of Kion Smith after Smith had been waived when Jackson returned, he would seem to be the most vulnerable to lose his spot on the active roster and then could be re-signed to the practice squad and elevated for a game if the need arose.

Borom played well at right tackle during Jackson's absence and Brunskill has become very valuable in his role as a sixth offensive lineman, so they would appear safe.

What's truly remarkable in all of this is the mere suggestion that the Dolphins don't really have a clear need right now for an offensive lineman who figured into the plans at the start of training camp.

Think about that for a second.

And then that's not even mentioning veteran guard James Daniels, who was the Dolphins' biggest free agent acquisition of the offseason but hasn't played since leaving the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts with a pectoral injury on his third snap and doesn't look like somebody who's coming back in 2025.

It's actually crazy.

The Dolphins offensive line, the target of criticism upon criticism year after year, not only isn't a problem right now, it's a strength.

Having Meyer back can only help, especially if injuries hit, but it's not even like the Dolphins really need him right now.

And that might be the craziest thing about this crazy Dolphins season.