New lineman looking to pass on knowledge
Sitton hopes Dolphins’ young players can learn from his experience.
Editor’s note: This continues a series spotlighting members of the team individually. In addition to reliving highlights and lowlights of the past season for each, we’ll provide analysis and criticism, plus take a look at how each player fits — or doesn’t fit — into the team’s plans for 2018.
DAVIE — The only logical place to start is with Josh Sitton’s age.
Keep in mind he had eight good years in Green Bay, paying dividends as a fourth-round pick out of Central Florida in 2008. After making three Pro Bowls there, however, he jumped to rival Chicago, spending two seasons with the Bears and making another Pro Bowl two years ago.
There’s little doubt that experience should rub off well on the Dolphins’ revamped offensive line, particularly left tackle Laremy Tunsil, whom Sitton volunteered to mentor in his visit with the organization.
“He speaks his mind,” said offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, who coached Sitton with the Bears. “You drop a really smart player into that room, with a young room and it’s a talented group of starters, and all of a sudden guys like Ja’Wuan ( James) and Laremy can really lean on him and his veteran experiences.”
Experiences Sitton says are “invaluable.”
“You learn smarter techniques,” he said. “You learn to watch defenses. You learn to look at coverages. You learn so many small things that as a young player, you don’t realize.
“You’re so focused on yourself as a young player, and your own technique and things like that. As you grow, you learn these different things, and those are the things that I’ll be able to help him with — the small things from a step here, a step there, an angle here, an angle there, watching the linebacker if he moves over a couple of feet. It’s really small detail things that you don’t think about as a young player because it’s such a difficult position.”
As for Sitton being 32 years old: We’ll have to wait and see. For some, it’s a red flag. For what it’s worth, a guard who came through Miami a few seasons ago, Richie Incognito, has made the Pro Bowl at guard the past three seasons and he’s turning 35 in July.
Which isn’t to say the Dolphins need Sitton to play at a Pro Bowl level. Anything above average would represent a marked improvement over recent guard play here.
“I’m a hard-hat, lunch pail type guy that likes to get to work and grind out there on the field,” he said. “I’m just trying to go out there and win every play. I’m not the type of guy to try and kill someone every play. I want to be very good on every single play and just be consistent. I think I’ve been able to do that over my career and I think I’ll continue to do that.”