Intriguing outside-the-box idea emerges as option for Dolphins at center. The details
An intriguing outside-the-box option has emerged as the Dolphins mull what to do with their starting center job:
Well-regarded left guard Connor Williams, the free agent addition from the Dallas Cowboys, has been splitting his time between guard and center during the team’s offseason program and is now viewed as an option to play center if the team chooses to go in that direction, according to multiple sources.
Williams took snaps at center in preseason for the Cowboys the past two years, and the Cowboys liked how it went. “I thought Connor had his best day [July 25]” at center, coach Mike McCarthy said at the time.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, offensive coordinator Frank Smith and offensive line coach Matt Applebaum are experimenting with offensive linemen at different positions, and decisions might not be made until training camp or after multiple preseason games.
The Dolphins don’t have a single veteran player on their roster who began their NFL career as a center, but they have multiple players who have experience at the position and can handle the job capably.
Michael Deiter was a 15-game starter at guard as a rookie, played only 23 snaps in his second season and moved permanently to center last summer.
He won the starting center job in training camp, beating out Matt Skura, and started the first three games before a foot injury sidelined him for eight games. He came back and started the final six games.
Pro Football Focus rated Dieter 28th of 39 qualifying centers, including 28th as a run blocker. In pass protection, Deiter allowed one sack and 10 pressures in nine games, which was decent.
The Dolphins think enough of Deiter that they didn’t make center a priority in the offseason. If the Dolphins don’t have Deiter or Williams as their starting center, they have enough cap space ($20 million) to address the position via free agency or a trade if they choose.
But there’s only one above-average center left in free agency — former Cleveland starter J.C. Tretter, whom PFF ranked sixth among 39 centers last season. The Dolphins did not aggressively pursue him before the draft, according to a source. But he can’t be ruled out, either.
Besides Deiter, the only other center on the roster is Arkansas’ Ty Clary, who signed with the Dolphins after going undrafted last weekend.
Aside from issues with penalties (17 of them last season) that led to a temporary benching last November, Williams was otherwise very good at left guard for the Cowboys last season, allowing only 13 quarterback pressures, fourth fewest among NFL players who pass blocked at least 300 snaps and fewest for players who pass blocked at least 600 snaps.
Pro Football Focus rated Williams 11th among 83 guards as a run-blocker.
Williams played left tackle at the University of Texas and has the skill set to play any position on the line.
He signed a two-year, $14 million deal with the Dolphins in March.
If the Dolphins start Deiter or a player who’s not yet on the team at center, the rest of the line likely would include Terron Armstead at left tackle, Williams at left guard, Robert Hunt at right guard and likely Austin Jackson or Liam Eichenberg at right tackle.
As reported weeks ago, the Dolphins believe Jackson — a former starter at left tackle and left guard — and can be a productive right tackle. He has been working at right tackle in the offseason program.
If the Dolphins move Williams to center, then the line could feature Armstead at left tackle, Hunt at right guard, Eichenberg or perhaps Solomon Kindley at left guard and Jackson or Eichenberg at right tackle.
The Dolphins have the option of moving Hunt from right guard to right tackle, but the team likes how he played at right guard last season and he seems more likely than not to stay at that spot.
Robert Jones has a good chance to stick as a multiposition backup and could push for playing time; he started the 2021 season finale at right tackle. Jones has been working at center on his own in case the team needs him at that position.
There’s also an outside chance that undrafted Arizona State left tackle Kellen Diesch — who was given $140,000 guaranteed — could compete for immediate playing time if he’s outstanding in the months ahead.
Greg Little, Larnel Coleman, Adam Pankey, Kion Smith and undrafted rookies Blaise Andreis (Minnesota) and Clark are the other offensive linemen under contract.
This story was originally published May 3, 2022 at 3:17 PM.
