Dolphins reportedly hiring new offensive line coach, interview Chargers assistant for OC opening
New Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has been overhauling the team’s offensive staff, as expected, and has reportedly settled on a new offensive line coach.
According to ESPN, the Dolphins are expected to hire Boston College offensive line coach Matt Applebaum.
Applebaum just completed his second season with the Eagles, where he coached four linemen who earned All-ACC honors. One of those players, Zion Johnson, is one of the top-rated interior linemen prospects in the NFL Draft and could be a target for the Dolphins. According to Pro Football Focus, Boston College’s offensive line ranked No. 21 in the nation for the 2021 season.
Applebaum has also coached offensive linemen at Towson, Davidson College, Bucknell and Southeastern Louisiana.
His NFL experience includes one season as an offensive assistant with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014 and three seasons as a personnel assistant with the Washington Commanders.
Applebaum, a two-year starter on the offensive line at UConn, first coached tight ends at Central Connecticut State and also spent two years as a graduate assistant at the University of Miami.
Applebaum would supplant Lemuel Jeanpierre, who struggled to develop the Dolphins’ young offensive line in his first season as offensive line coach. Former coach Brian Flores promoted Jeanpierre to the role after spending the 2020 season with Miami as assistant offensive line coach. Jeanpierre previously served as an assistant offensive line coach with the Raiders and an offensive assistant for the Seattle Seahawks.
The Dolphins will likely look to upgrade the offensive line this offseason, whether that be in free agency or the draft, but have multiple former high draft picks who need to be developed further, including 2020 first-round pick Austin Jackson and 2021 second-round pick Liam Eichenberg.
The Dolphins are also interviewing Los Angeles Chargers run game coordinator/offensive line coach Frank Smith for their offensive coordinator opening Saturday, according to NFL Network.
Smith, 40, just completed his first season in that role. The Chargers ranked 14th in rush offense in 2021, according to Football Outsiders’ efficiency metrics. Los Angeles’ 107.9 rushing yards per game ranked 21st in the league and its 4.3 yards per attempt ranked tied for 15th.
The Chargers’ offense line ranked 13th in ESPN’s pass block win rate and 20th in run block win rate.
Smith previously coached tight ends with the Raiders and Chicago Bears. He also spent time as assistant line coach for the New Orleans Saints, as well as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for Butler.
Smith is the third name to surface for the offensive coordinator opening with McDaniel, who said he will call plays. McDaniel is also reportedly interviewing Atlanta Falcons quarterbacks coach Charles London and former New Orleans Saints receivers coach Curtis Johnson.
On the offensive staff, McDaniel is retaining Eric Studesville, a league source told the Miami Herald. Studesville, who spent this past season as co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach, is expected to continue to coach backs but not retain his co-offensive coordinator title.
On the defensive side, McDaniel is keeping Josh Boyer as defensive coordinator. Defensive line coach Austin Clark, linebackers coach Anthony Campanile, cornerbacks coach Charles Burks and special teams coordinator Danny Crossman are also staying, according to a source. However, the team parted ways with defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander and outside linebackers coach Rob Leonard reportedly left for the same position with the Baltimore Ravens.
New additions to the staff include San Francisco 49ers tight ends coach Jon Embree and wide receivers coach Wes Welker, who are joining McDaniel in the same roles.
This story may be updated.
This story was originally published February 12, 2022 at 11:57 AM.
