Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Veteran free-agent center Skura signs 1-year contract
The Miami Dolphins have addressed a glaring need on their offensive line Thursday, agreeing to a one-year deal with center Matt Skura in free agency.
Skura, who played the last four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, will have an opportunity to start and be an anchor on the young Dolphins offensive line that must protect starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Left tackle Austin Jackson, right tackle Robert Hunt and right guard Solomon Kindley will enter their second seasons with the team. Veteran left guard Ereck Flowers and versatile guard/tackle Jesse Davis also return to the mix.
On March 9, the Dolphins also traded for former first-round offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson, who could play right guard. Former 2019 third-round pick Michael Deiter is also still in the mix, and could back up either guard or center positions.
Despite Skura’s signing, the Dolphins could still address the center position in the 2021 NFL draft where Alabama’s Landon Dickerson, Oklahoma’s Creed Humphrey and Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Quinn Meinerz are among the top centers available.
Skura joins Miami after starting in 51 of 54 games for the Ravens. He is also more than a year removed from a devastating knee injury, in which he tore the ACL, PCL and MCL in his left knee in November 2019.
Although Skura allowed just one sack in 2020, he was benched for several poor snaps in two games with the Ravens last season. As a result, he saw his playing time reduced in the final eight games.
Skura will have an opportunity for playing time with the Dolphins, since last season’s starting center Ted Karras returned to New England on a one-year deal.
The Dolphins did not intend to sign Karras again and explored other options like Patriots center David Andrews, while Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson was available before being traded by the Las Vegas Raiders to the Arizona Cardinals.
The Dolphins still have glaring needs at wide receiver, running back and edge rusher to address either in free agency or the 2021 NFL draft in late April.
So far in free agency, the Dolphins signed fleet wideout Will Fuller backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett, added a goal-line threat at running back in veteran Malcolm Brown, tight end/fullback Cethan Carter, and signed speedy receiver Robert Foster, who was college teammates with Tagovailoa at Alabama.
On defense, the Dolphins acquired linebacker Benardrick McKinney in a trade form the Houston Texans; re-signed outside linebacker Vince Biegel; and signed defensive tackle Adam Butler, cornerback Justin Coleman and new punter Michael Palardy.