How Dolphins GM Chris Grier has fared drafting interior offensive linemen since taking over in 2016
One name has consistently been on the lips of Miami Dolphins fans for years
Liam Eichenberg.
The ire surrounding that one name makes sense. Not only did the Dolphins give up a haul to draft him in 2021, the names that went later have not only been significantly better but also contributed to championship teams. And with the 2025 NFL Draft around the corner and the Dolphins offense seriously lacking help along the interior, there’s prayers that general manager Chris Grier’s past mistakes won’t rear their ugly head.
“I’ve had three different coaches here,” Grier said, acknowledging that “they all have different types of players they like.” It should also be noted that he has had six different offensive coordinators during that time.
Added Grier: “I think for me sometimes maybe I defer too much, and I’ve talked about that and that’s probably one thing I’ve learned that as I’ve gotten more along in my years that the push back is great.”
Overall, Grier has experienced moderate success when it comes to his offensive line selection. A 2020 first-round pick, tackle Austin Jackson has thrived in coach Mike McDaniel’s system. The upcoming season will be critical as he looks to establish himself as a leader in the new-look offensive line room that will surely the voice of five-time Pro Bowler Terron Armstead, who retired April 5.
“Austin Jackson — the offensive line guys love him,” Grier said.
Grier has even selected Pro Bowlers in Laremy Tunsil and Robert Hunt — though the former later switched to tackle.
“Offensive guard, the last time we really went were Austin and Rob Hunt and Liam were probably the last three we’ve drafted,” Grier recalled. “They’ve all been players that have helped us win games here.”
Those same guys, however, have also gotten away. Tunsil was dealt in a 2019 trade to the Houston Texans where he thrived, securing five Pro Bowl appearances. Hunt, meanwhile, signed a five-year, $100 million deal deal with the Carolina Panthers in the 2024 offseason. There, the second-round pick even landed his first Pro Bowl appearance.
That said, Grier has certainly had his fair share of misses. Some could be excusable. Guard Isaac Asiata, a fifth-round pick in 2017, and tackle Isaiah Prince, a sixth-round pick in 2019, most notably come to mind considering the lack of late-round success stories in their respective drafts.
What can’t be excused, however, is in that same 2019 Draft, Grier and the Dolphins picked Michael Deiter, a third-round pick out of Wisconsin. Deiter started 23 games across his three-year career in Miami and most recently served primarily as a backup for the Washington Commanders.
You may ask yourself who was still on the board at that time?
Connor McGovern, a one-time Pro Bowler who has started 47 consecutive regular-season games since 2022.
Unfortunately, it gets worse.
Fast forward to 2020, an important year for many a reasons and one that Grier himself recently referenced.
“This is the time again like we did back a few years ago with Austin [Jackson] and Rob Hunt and Solomon Kindley and stuff,” Grier said Jan. 7, “this is the time for us to again start investing in some offensive linemen.”
Not only did Kindley last two years, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected another guard by the name of Kevin Dotson two dozen picks later. The result? Back-to-back seasons as a top-10 rated guard in 2023 and 2024, according to Pro Football Focus.
Which subsequently brings us to 2021. The Dolphins see Eichenberg is available. They proceed to call up the New York Giants and work out a trade that would result in the Dolphins losing the 2021 second-round pick and 2022 third-rounder. Keep in mind, this was a deep, deep draft when it came to offensive linemen.
Just take a look at who else was available: Samuel Cosmi, one of the best run-blocking guards in the NFL, according to PFF; Creed Humphrey, a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl champ who switched to center; and Trey Smith, a one-time Pro Bowler who also won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs.
With the loss of players such as Terron Armstead, the Dolphins need to hit on the offensive line. Injuries throughout the unit doomed the 2024 season as the run game slowed to halt subsequently allowing defenses to run two-high safety looks to extinguish a once explosive pass game. If the Dolphins want the offense to return to its 2023 glory, a quality pick or two will be key.
“We’re going to need NFL-ready players,” Grier said. “There’s no like, ‘Hey, let’s hope this guy is ready.’ These guys are going to be forced into play, and that’s a good thing. So we just have to be right on the person and the character of the guys that we bring in here, that they’re going to do that.”
