There’s plenty riding on Tunsil’s turnaround
Dolphins need better play from left tackle on revamped offensive line.
Last season’s move from left guard back to left tackle was bumpy for Laremy Tunsil. The Dolphins need more from him on their revamped offensive line.
Nobody needs to tell Laremy Tunsil last
DAVIE — season didn’t go well for him. It’s been on his mind for months.
In his move from left guard back to his natural spot at left tackle, he struggled with missed assignments, inconsistency and just straight-up getting beat by defensive ends. The Dolphins coaching staff thought it’d be an easy transition for him, but that’s one of the toughest positions in the game regardless of how familiar a player is with it.
Tunsil is not hiding from how poorly he played, but he’s not going to stay stuck on it, either.
“It was a bad taste, a horrible taste,” he said Thursday when Miami wrapped up its offseason practices. “I just wanted to improve my game. That’s the main thing I was dwelling on. I know I could’ve been better.
“Now I’m here and it’s a new season, new person. Let’s get it.”
Burying the past is probably for the best, and
Tunsil’s right to think of this as a fresh start. He spent a lot of time analyzing film of his mistakes in the offseason, zeroing in on his worst games
and thinking through the corrections. New offensive line coach Jeremiah Wash- burn has been an uplifting influence on him after a cha- otic year for the line last season, and he’s intent on keep- ing everything positive for Tunsil. Tunsil has also got a new wingman at left guard in Josh Sitton, a four-time Pro Bowler with a decade of experience.
All of those elements are working together to set Tunsil up for a bounce-back year.
“I just wanted to work on my overall game: pass, set, run game — anything,” he said. “I just wanted to be a complete player.”
Sitton’s presence, both as a mentor and as a better player than anyone Miami as far as, ‘Hey, what do we had at left guard, gives the want to do here?’ or ‘How Dolphins reason for opti- do we want to set on these mism with Tunsil. If Sitton pass rushes?’ Those two guys stays healthy, he’ll make working in tandem is going Tunsil’s job easier and steady to be a big thing for us.” the line. The Dolphins’ overhaul of
Sitton said last month he’s their offensive line hinges eager to help Tunsil and largely on whether Tunsil their relationship is already is able to establish himself off to a good start. They’ve as the top-quality left tackle spoken extensively throughthey envisioned when they out the offseason, and Sit- drafted him 13th overall in ton is setting the example 2016. the Dolphins want Tunsil They started him at left to follow. guard because Branden
“The guy you’re play- Albert was at left tackle, ing next to, you see how then offloaded Albert to Jack- he operates,” coach Adam sonville to make room for Gase said. “You see how he Tunsil’s return to the posiworks in meeting rooms and tion last season. It didn’t go then comes on the field and as planned. works individually. That’s “I never assumed it was the thing I’ve been most going to be easy,” said Tun- impressed with. sil, who was a left tackle his
“I think (Tunsil) being able entire career prior to his to talk to him every day, rookie season. “Playing left tackle at the highest level of football, I never thought it’d be easy.
“It’s very natural, but it’s the highest point of the game. You get what I’m saying? You’re going against some of the best athletes in the game. It’s always going to be a competition every week.”
Now they’ll line him and Sitton up on the left side next to new center Daniel Kilgore, a much more affordable option than three-time Pro Bowl pick Mike Pouncey. Jesse Davis is done jumping around and has settled in at right guard next to tackle Ja’Wuan James. Those moves won’t matter much, though, unless Tunsil turns it around.