How the Dolphins botched one of the key parts of the rebuild: the depressing O-line data
You want to know the most depressing reality as the Miami Dolphins wander aimlessly through Year 3 of their latest failed and fruitless rebuild?
That very little — very little — seemingly has been solved for the long-term despite collecting a treasure trove of draft assets and sacrificing 2019 with the hope of breaking the cycle of six-, seven- and eight-win seasons and transforming the franchise into a perennial contender.
The Dolphins remain a mess, unable to protect their quarterback, run the ball or (aside from Sunday’s throttling of dreadful Houston) stop opponents with any regularity.
Perhaps they have solved safety with Jevon Holland and Brandon Jones, but that’s contingent on Jones improving his subpar pass coverage metrics.
They have added a useful No. 2 or slot wide receiver in Jaylen Waddle but can’t throw him deep passes because they don’t trust their offensive line to protect long enough to set up those plays.
As far as problems likely fixed for the long-term, that’s the list. The whole list.
Perhaps edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, offensive lineman Robert Hunt or defensive tackle Raekwon Davis join the list if they improve; for now, they’re viewed as below-average players by metrics sites.
Perhaps quarterback Tua Tagovailoa can join the list if he stays healthy and plays better against stout defenses than he has previously.
Remember, two of the Dolphins’ best players — cornerback Xavien Howard and tight end Mike Gesicki — were already here before the rebuild started.
As the 2-7 Dolphins move past the midpoint of their 17-game season, we’re evaluating where the offense stands in various areas, based on metrics and the eye test, and conclusions to be drawn.
Today, we address the area that represents the worst mismanagement of the rebuild:
OFFENSIVE LINE
This unit has been deplorable, allowing 234 quarterback pressures — 47 more than Carolina, the team that has permitted the next-most pressures (187), per Pro Football Focus. That’s 26 pressures a game, far too many to judge the effectiveness of any young quarterback.
The current starting quintet is nearly as deficient as run blockers; the Dolphins’ 3.5 yards per rush is third worst in the league and not a single Dolphins offensive lineman is rated in the top half of the league at his position as run blockers.
It’s becoming increasingly possible — if not likely — that not a single one of the resources allocated might produce a cornerstone player, a list of resources that includes the 18th pick in 2020 (Austin Jackson), the 39th pick in 2020 (Robert Hunt), the 42nd pick in 2021 (Liam Eichenberg), a third-round 2022 pick used to move up eight spots for Eichenberg and nearly $16 million spent for one year of Ereck Flowers, who’s now back in Washington and has graded out higher than any Dolphins lineman this season.
For perspective on how dismal the line has been, consider:
▪ Eichenberg, Jackson and Jesse Davis have each permitted 37 quarterback pressures, tied for the most in the NFL. What are the odds of the same team having three players who lead the league in that ignominious category?
Eichenberg has permitted a league-high seven sacks and Davis five.
In five games since moving from right tackle to left tackle, Eichenberg has allowed 25 pressures and four sacks. He has been the worst left tackle in the league during the past month, and a poor start Thursday against Baltimore could motivate the coaching staff to play Greg Little, a scenario discussed internally Monday.
Eichenberg didn’t allow a sack his final 2½ years at Notre Dame, suggesting there’s talent to be culled. And that calls into question head coach Brian Flores’ January decision to dump experienced offensive line coach Steve Marshall and replace him with Lemuel Jeanpierre, the former assistant who had never been in the lead role previously.
If there’s any line that needs a grizzled, savvy experienced teacher in the Bill Callahan mold, it’s this one.
▪ Jackson has been better at guard than at tackle, but he’s still below average at that position, too. He has permitted 17 pressures and two sacks in his five games at left guard.
▪ Among 79 qualifying tackles, PFF rates Davis 72nd and Eichenberg 76th.
▪ Hunt — who was a top-15 right tackle in the league during the final six weeks of last season — was moved to guard in the spring and hasn’t been as good, allowing 20 pressures (10th most among guards) and a sack. PFF ranks him 55th of 76 qualifying guards and 10th worst as a run blocker.
▪ The centers have been adequate or just below; Michael Deiter is rated 19th, Greg Mancz 20th and Austin Reiter 31st of 40.
So how did the Dolphins botch this offensive line construction?
By deciding not to sign a tackle in 2020 free agency, general Chris Grier and Flores boxed themselves into a position where they felt compelled to take the top remaining tackle on the board at No. 18.
They loved Jackson’s athleticism and decided to overlook the fact he was beaten multiple times by Iowa’s A.J. Epenesa in Southern California’s bowl game. Epenesa has continued beating Jackson in the NFL.
The Dolphins also overlooked the fact, as noted by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein before the draft, that he was “raw, inconsistent [with] hand placement and footwork that could be exploited early on if teams try and rush him into the starting lineup.”
With Eichenberg, they liked how technically sound he was at Notre Dame, and as Grier said during the draft, “we liked his toughness, character, durability” and intelligence.
They chose to overlook what Zierlein wrote before the draft, that “timing, hand placement and body control all need work in pass sets” and that he has “high hands easily swatted and discarded” and that his “punch is monotonous and predictable.”
A director of scouting for an NFL team told Zierlein last spring that Eichenberg “can get better in some areas, but he plays like a short-armed guy and that concerns me if he’s going to be a tackle.”
Grier said other executives texted him after the Hunt pick saying he was the player they planned to take, but he hasn’t played at the high level the Dolphins expected in moving him to guard. There’s obviously still potential there.
▪ Conclusions?
The Dolphins could face the disturbing possibility that all three of the tackles they drafted in the first 42 picks of the past two drafts might end up as guards. And not just guards, but mediocre guards. (All three were initially tried by the Dolphins at tackle.)
Perhaps Hunt or Eichenberg would be more effective at right tackle than their current positions; there’s visual evidence from last December that Hunt has potential at that spot, and the Dolphins have discussed moving him back there, with Davis potentially moving to right guard.
It’s obviously too soon to give up on Eichenberg altogether, but not necessarily too soon to give up on him as a left tackle. If he plays poorly to start the Baltimore game, there’s little reason to continue with this experiment.
Little will get the next chance if Eichenberg continues to fail, and if he’s not significantly better than he played in Carolina, then Miami likely will need to spend even more resources next spring at left tackle.
The Dolphins also need to see what they have in rookie guard Robert Jones and guard Solomon Kindley, who seems to have been scapegoated for the line’s problems earlier this season, problems that have worsened since he left the lineup.
Here’s what the Dolphins must determine during the final eight games: Is there a lineman — a single lineman — on this team that’s worthy of starting on a playoff team?
Hunt might have the best shot. Perhaps Jackson and Eichenberg can be salvaged. Kindley deserves another look.
It’s worth noting that several linemen picked after Jackson and Hunt in 2020 or Eichenberg in 2021 have outperformed them (per PFF), including Washington’s Sam Cosmi and Philadelphia’s Jack Driscoll.
Since Grier became director of college scouting in 2007 and general manager in 2016, the Dolphins have drafted 21 offensive linemen, with Jonathan Martin (picked 42nd) the most egregious miss.
Only five of those 21 — Mike Pouncey, Jake Long, Laremy Tunsil, Samson Satele and Ja’Wuan James — have become good starters for the Dolphins. It’s too soon to know on a handful, including Hunt.
But the Dolphins’ inability to evaluate offensive linemen at an acceptable rate of success has predated Grier.
The Dolphins have drafted 12 offensive linemen in the fourth or fifth rounds during the past 30 years.
You know how many ended up starting games — any games at all — for the Dolphins? Three: 2020 fourth-rounder Kindley (15 starts), 2015 fourth-rounder Jamil Douglas (six starts) and 1993 fifth-rounder Chris Gray (23 starts).
At least the pre-rebuild Dolphins were able to eyeball offensive line talent in the early rounds, with Pouncey and Tunsil.
Now they seemingly can’t even do that.
And now this much is clear: The gross misevaluations of these linemen — and this coaching staff’s inability to extract more from them — have torpedoed the rebuild and made it impossible to fairly judge Tagovailoa, let alone keep him healthy and available.
Trusting this front office to draft any more offensive linemen is becoming increasingly difficult to justify.
Here’s my Monday Dolphins notebook with lots of news.
Here’s my Monday Miami Hurricanes 6-pack with lots of news.
This story was originally published November 8, 2021 at 4:54 PM.
