Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Rebuilt O-line in spotlight
Dolphins chose youth to reshape improving unit
Last year, the Miami Dolphins offensive line was called the catalyst for Miami’s turnaround from a 1-4 start to a playoff-bound team by coaches and players.
The run game became fairly consistent, and the pass protection improved, giving Miami’s quarterbacks time to work. And Miami made those strides despite losing a couple of starting offensive linemen to injuries.
But instead of keeping things the same, Miami’s decision makers chose to embark on a youth movement with that unit.
The Dolphins traded Branden Albert to Jacksonville for a 2018 seventh-round pick, signed Ted Larsen and Avery Young to offseason deals, and selected former Utah standout Isaac Asiata in the fifth-round of this year’s draft.
The hope is that those moves will build an offensive line that can grow up together. But will this new-look offensive line be able to perform at last year’s level?
“I think we’ve got some good, solid players in there,” Dolphins offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen said when asked about the unit. “I think the competition will
be high, which always makes people better, and we’ll come out of the thing with, I think, a good, deep inside bunch, which will be great.
“I can’t stress enough that [with] the good teams, you have competition,” Christensen added. “The more competition, the hungrier.”
Based on what Miami has entering training camp, Dolphins fans should expect some growing pains.
Larsen, a seven-year veteran who has been praised for the physicality he brings to the run game, has started 65 games throughout his career. But he’s been a backup most of his career for a reason, and that’s penalties. Despite only starting eight games for Chicago last season he committed the second most penalties on its offensive line with seven.
Larsen will compete with Asiata, veteran Jermon Bushrod, who the Dolphins re-signed on a one-year deal worth $2.25 million, Kraig Urbik and Young, who spent his rookie season on New Orleans’ injured reserve last year, to determine which two players serve as Miami’s starting guards.
The Dolphins think Bushrod will take the next step as Miami’s starting right guard because it will be his in his second season at the position. Because the 10-year veteran who spent all but last season serving as a left tackle is now familiar with his role and responsibilities as a guard, head coach Adam Gase said the 32-year-old veteran won’t need to practice as much.
The idea is that the less Bushrod practices, the better he’ll be able to perform in games.
The same theory will be tested for Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey, who is recovering from his fourth hip injury since 2014. Pouncey, who opted to not have hip surgery this offseason, underwent a stem cell transplant procedure, and was seen walking with the assistance of a cane recently.
Gase said the focus for Pouncey is to have him play in 16-plus regular season games, hinting that he’ll practice and participate less during the offseason program, training camp and the exhibition season.
“He’s going to be brought along slowly,” Gase said. “Our goal is to make sure that he plays every gameplus more. So if that means that he doesn’t practice as much, I have no issues with that.”
The Dolphins have three interior players in Larsen, Urbik and Anthony Steen, who have experience playing center in NFL games, and plan to crosstrain Asiata to play center too.
The Dolphins have high hopes for Asiata, who was rated as one of the draft’s top-five guards. According to an NFL source, he slide to the fifth round because of his advanced age (25), and a knee issue that took him off some team’s draft boards.
“Any time that you can add pieces that increases the toughness of our team, no matter what position they play, that’s a positive,” Gase said when talking about Asiata, who plays with a mean streak.
The Dolphins are also expecting growth from Laremy Tunsil, the team’s 2016 first-round pick, who is moving from left guard to left tackle, returning to the position he played in college, and right tackle Ja’Wuan James, Miami’s 2014 first-round pick, who is entering his fourth season as starter.
Even though the Dolphins recently opted into James’ fifth-year option, which will keep him in Miami in 2018 for nearly $9 million if he performs up to expectations, Gase is hoping to see growth.
“I think he’s done a good job of trying to head in the direction we need him to head,” Gase said of the 24-year-old former Tennessee standout. “There are still big strides for him to make. I don’t think we’re even close to where his ceiling is.”
Preseason games on Thursdays
The Dolphins’ four preseason games are all scheduled for Thursday night kickoffs. The preseason opponents had been set for weeks, but the NFL announced the dates and start times Tuesday.
Miami begins the exhibition season by hosting the Atlanta Falcons at Hard Rock Stadium on Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. The following Thursday (Aug. 17) Miami will host the Baltimore Ravens for another 7 p.m. kickoff.
The third exhibition, which typically features the starting units playing the entire first half, will be played Aug. 24 at the Philadelphia Eagles. That game will also begin at 7 p.m. The Dolphins’ final preseason game will be Aug. 31 at the Minnesota Vikings at 8 p.m.
The preseason games can be seen locally in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale market on WFOR-TV CBS4. All games can be heard on 560-WQAM and KISS 99.9 FM.
The Dolphins open the regular season at home Sept. 10 against Tampa Bay.