Dolphins rookie makes interesting revelation. And offensive line coach says results needed
The Dolphins added a new center this week.
But whether they will change the players — or permutations — at tackle and guard remains a day-to-day deliberation.
Coach Brian Flores indicated last week that the Dolphins would like, for the immediate future, to see how this line performs with Austin Jackson at left tackle, Jesse Davis at left guard, Rob Hunt at right guard and Liam Eichenberg at right tackle.
But Jackson and Eichenberg have performed unevenly, leading to questions about whether Jackson would be better at guard (something the Dolphins have briefly discussed) and whether Eichenberg would be better at left tackle (where he didn’t allow a sack his final 2 ½ years at Notre Dame).
Pro Football Focus ranks Jackson and Eichenberg 67th and 68th among 73 qualifying offensive tackles this season. Eichenberg, who has given candid and thoughtful responses since the Dolphins drafted him 42nd overall in April, said twice this week that he believes he’s better at right tackle than at left tackle in the NFL.
Eichenberg was asked if he’s saying that because he doesn’t want to step on Jackson’s toes or whether he genuinely believes his skill set is best suited for right tackle in the NFL.
“I think Austin is a better left tackle than I would be, if I’m being honest with you,” Eichenberg said. “Just like myself, we each have things we need to work on from a technique standpoint and a fundamentals standpoint.
“But for my mind-set, I think that I have been a right tackle for a couple weeks, and I personally have seen improvement in my movement and how I punch and just also from a run-blocking and pass-blocking standpoint. I think it’ll be my best position.”
Offensive line coach Lemuel Jeanpierre said he saw Eichenberg’s comment and “Liam’s response shows you the character of guy he is. Liam also knows, like he’s told everybody, that he’s willing to play anywhere and do anything. Wherever he needs to be put to play.”
As for Jackson, he has allowed 20 quarterback pressures, most among all NFL tackles per Pro Football Focus, even though he missed one of the four games because of COVID. Eichenberg has allowed 12 pressures and three sacks even though he started only three of the four games.
Jeanpierre was asked why Jackson doesn’t seem like the player he was a year ago; he seemingly has regressed.
“Austin competes out there. He’s emotional. He wants to do well so bad,” Jeanpierre said. “The effort he puts in has never lacked. Sometimes you get those shots where you have a bad play and all of a sudden it gets caught and it makes it all look like it’s really bad.
“In terms of Austin and his play, the Buffalo week as a line was tough for us. We went to the Raiders, we were away facing some very good ends, and there was some improvement. In Indy, we were limited in our reps. We couldn’t keep the ball and the momentum going.”
Because Tua Tagovailoa is a left-handed quarterback, is it more important to have a strong right tackle than left tackle because the right tackle protects a lefty quarterback’s blind side?
“How our league is built, with the athletes you have, if you have a really good left tackle, and this other person [the right tackle] isn’t doing too well, you’re still going to be in trouble in this league,” Jeanpierre said.
Jeanpierre said Greg Mancz played well in his first game as the Dolphins’ starting center in place of Michael Deiter, whose foot injury is expected to sideline him from one to two months.
Because the transaction had not been announced as of Tuesday morning, Jeanpierre couldn’t comment on the addition of center Austin Reiter, who was Kansas City’s starting center in 2019 and 2020.
“Greg performed well,” Jeanpierre said. “Moving forward, every week there is always going to be competition, as there should be. You have to perform every week. I’m not sure where we go from here.”
With the Dolphins 31st in the league in both points and yards, Jeanpierre made this much clear:
“We’re an NFL offensive line. We have to get it done. Robert Hunt said it perfectly. We don’t want to hear anymore about us being young. Being young is elementary school. You’re in the NFL, you’re a starter. That’s not young. We have to find a way to get it done. If that means being here later, earlier, we’ll get it done. If that means more reps, we’ll get it done.”
Here’s my Tuesday piece on the Jakeem Grant trade and interesting comments from the Dolphins’ co-offensive coordinators.
This story was originally published October 5, 2021 at 1:09 PM.
