Dolphins offer stark assessment of line. And Miami signs controversial 2020 first-rounder
The Dolphins can take some solace in their offensive line taking a step up from deplorable to somewhat-better-than-embarrassing in recent weeks.
At times, they’ve even been competent during this five-game win streak, especially the past three games — a stretch in which Miami has yielded four sacks, which is partly a byproduct of Tua Tagovailoa’s acumen in avoiding sacks.
But offensive line coach Lemuel Jeanpierre, while acknowledging progress, is measured in assessing his group.
Asked if left tackle Liam Eichenberg is performing at a competent level, Jeanpierre said: “At this point, I would need to know the definition.”
Is Eichenberg’s performance acceptable for an NFL left tackle?
“Liam is hard on himself a lot,” Jeanpierre said. “We’re hard on him as well. He’s doing OK. He’s very hard on himself. He’s doing OK. I can give you that as an answer. The growth is there, which is what you want.”
Pro Football Focus ranks him 80th among 82 tackles overall and 64th as a run blocker. That website hasn’t charged him with allowing a sack in the past three games, though he was beaten by the Giants on one sack.
As for left guard Austin Jackson — who has now played nine games at the position after moving from left tackle — Jeanpierre said: “He’s been improving from when he first got there. He’s been growing, understanding things more. It’s starting to show. As long as you’re seeing growth, that’s what you want.”
Center Michael Deiter returned last week after missing nine games with a foot injury, but Jeanpierre was blunt about his play.
“He did OK,” Jeanpierre said. “That time off, there were some things where maybe [he was] a little too wide here, maybe a little too aggressive. He had some of those moments when he was just trying to hit things. We saw that early in the week; it happened throughout the week. He did OK.”
Two mock drafts this week have the Dolphins selecting — no kidding — more offensive linemen.
ESPN’s Todd McShay, in his first mock draft, has Miami selecting North Carolina State guard/tackle Ikem Ekwonu at 21, via the pick owed the Dolphins by San Francisco.
“Miami has used four Day 1 or 2 picks on the offensive line over the past three drafts,” McShay said. “And yet, it is last in the league in pass block win rate by a good margin [44.6 perfect]. Ekwonu is a 320-pound mauler who is tough to get around and versatile enough to play tackle or guard. And his power would be welcomed by a run game that ranks 31st in yards per carry [3.3].”
Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus’ Austin Gayle has the Dolphins selecting Iowa interior lineman Tyler Linderbaum with that 49ers pick.
Gayle said: “Linderbaum finished the 2021 season as PFF’s highest-graded interior offensive lineman and the top-ranked interior offensive lineman expected to enter the 2022 NFL Draft. He’ll likely slip in the first round due to positional value, but I doubt he gets past Miami.”
ARNETTE ADDED
The Dolphins signed cornerback Damon Arnette, a former Raiders first-round pick, to their practice squad, taking another chance on a player with previous off-field issues.
Selected 19th overall out of Ohio State in the 2020 NFL Draft, Arnette appeared in 13 games and started seven for the Raiders and had no interceptions, 29 tackles and three passes defended.
The former Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas graduate suffered a groin injury in Week 4 and was placed on injured reserve. The Raiders released him on Nov. 8 after the discovery of a video showing him brandishing firearms and making death threats.
“Very painful decision,” Raiders GM Mike Mayock said of cutting Arnette. “We spent significant time, effort and resources trying to help him in all aspects of his life...we cannot stand for the video of Damon with a gun, threatening to take a life.”
Mayock said there were character concerns around Arnette, 25, coming out of college but the franchise believed it could help him with any off-the-field issues. “Obviously, we missed. That is 100 percent on me,” Mayock said.
At the time of his release, Arnette faced two lawsuits, which remain unresolved. One alleges Arnette left the scene of a car accident in October 2020 near the team facility when he was running late for a team meeting. The woman whose vehicle that Arnette allegedly hit is suing him for $92,000 in damages, according to TMZ.
A second lawsuit by an employee of the Aria Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas alleges that Arnette berated and spat on a valet because of a dispute about retrieving his car.
Arnette attended the Dolphins’ practice on Wednesday.
The Dolphins took similar chances with Mark Walton and Robert Nkemdiche after legal issues; neither worked out.
THIS AND THAT
▪ Adam Shaheen (knee) and safety Brandon Jones (elbow/ankle) were limited in practice; both missed the past two games. Tight end Hunter Long missed practice because of an illness. DeVante Parker was given a rest day.
Running back Malcolm Brown isn’t listed on the injury report because he’s on injured reserve, but appears ready to return Sunday against the Jets. He has missed six games with a quadriceps injury.
“Malcolm looks good at practice,” Tua Tagovailoa said.
▪ The Dolphins elevated Sheldrick Redwine as a COVID-19 replacement. He will be available for Sunday’s game against the Jets.
▪ Dolphins players haven’t encouraged each other to stay home amid this outbreak of COVID cases nationally. But they have discussed being cautious.
“The numbers are crazy,” safety Eric Rowe said of the recent surge in positive cases in pro sports. “I’ve been on my own, same routine all year. We don’t go out. It’s the season. We go to practice, go home study and get ready for next day. We talked about it how many positives are going on and how things are really starting to go in the other side. Guys are more aware.
“If they go out, put a mask on at least to be cautious. COVID does not discriminate. We have to think about the greater good. If I spread it to teammate, maybe he spreads it to his wife and a child. You don’t know how child could be affected.”
▪ Running back Duke Johnson — elevated from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Jets — could get a heavy workload if Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed and Phillip Lindsay don’t produce two negative COVID tests spaced 24 hours apart, by 4 p.m. Saturday.
“I’m excited to be out there period after not playing for most of the season,” Johnson said.
Johnson has played in only one NFL game this season — when he rushed for 18 yards on four carries for the Dolphins against the Jets last month. He averaged 3.1 yards per rush on 77 carries for Houston last season and has a 4.2 career rushing average.
Is he being extra cautious because three running backs are on the COVID list? “I’m living and doing what I can day to day to day to stay clean and stay healthy,” he said.
Johnson, who grew up in Miami, said he dreamed of being a Dolphins player when he was in middle school. This will be his first home game as a Dolphins player.
▪ The Dolphins claimed linebacker Calvin Munson off waivers from New England, where he had three tackles in six games this season. He appeared in 18 games and started two for Miami in 2019 and 2020.
▪ The Dolphins protected these four practice squad players from poaching by other teams this week: defensive tackle Andrew Billings, quarterback Jake Luton, wide receiver Kirk Merritt and center Cameron Tom.
This story was originally published December 15, 2021 at 4:10 PM.
