Is it time to go get a Center? | Page 6 | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Is it time to go get a Center?

I realize CJ Tetter was hurt last year. I have read he is ready to go. But with how dynamic the Dolphins should be this year what good is it if you don’t have somebody competent centering the ball and blocking. As a fan what are we missing?? Either sign Tetter or somebody of his caliber to finish off building the offensive line. It’s like having a fortress and no front door it seems illogical to me.
There aren’t any centers the caliber of Tretter still available in free agency. He has been a pro bowl center for a number of years and there just aren’t many of those centers in the league, much less still sitting around in free agency.

The issue with Tretter is his knee and ankle issues and he is also likely looking for a lot more money than teams are willing to pay him at this time. I suspect he will eventually sign with a team but I doubt it will be the Dolphins unless Williams proves to be a bust at the center position and the coaches just don’t have any confidence in Deiter.
 
Ah yes. Like the staff last year with the continued play of Davis the eye sore.

The new staffs no longer get the benefit of the doubt after continued failure at the Ol for numerous years and staffs. I mean you can go on trusting…

Again I hope they and you are right because I’m tired of OL’s derailing seasons and the QB play.
It's always like that, all the "i trust the coach" in the coach's first year and then they're usually gone by year 4 in miami lol I could see if it was Belicheat or John Harbaugh with years of success under their belt. It's not fair to the incumbent coaches at miami because of the previous coaches failures in miami but it's the way it is. Can't blame fans for not being so trusting of yet another first time coach in Miami when all the prior ones keep failing. lol remember all the "in flo we trust" posts early in his tenure?
 
He did suffer from some severe injuries that limited his availability and performance for a substantial period of time.

I take it you were OK with that.
I’m talking about when they first drafted him and before his injuries hit. My point is they haven’t had a decent center in a long time and Greer blew it by not drafting Creed Humphrey in 2021.
 
No coincidence that our line hasn't ranked better than 28th since 2014. (going by PFF rankings). 2014 was the year Pouncey had hip surgery and played guard.

IMO center is the 2nd most important position on that line right behind blind side tackle. We need to address that position one way or another between now and next season. (Draft/FA/Trade)

PFF Rankings

2014: 32nd

2015: 31st

2016: 30th

2017: 29th

2018: 31st

2019: 32nd

2020: 28th

2021: 29th

I'd argue the blind side tackle is usually overrated. Obviously you don't want a guy letting people blow by like we saw from Davis... but completely blind hits on a QB are rare regardless of who you have at tackle and usually come down to a QB not being aware of the pocket as a play develops.

Center is definitely my #1 position, then just give me one above average guard, one above average tackle, then two average guys to round it out. With this in my eyes you should be a very competent line.
 
For all those concerned about Williams moving to center and wanting Tretter instead, perhaps you need to review the history of Tretter as a player.

He was a TE for two years in college before being converted to tackle his last two years in college. He came into the NFL with the Packers and was projected to compete at the tackle or guard position. He was frequently injured while with the Packers and was eventually tried at the center position.

The Packers did not resign him and allowed him to enter free agency and he ended up signing with the Browns. While he eventually developed into a solid center in Cleveland, the fact is he never played center until coming into the NFL.

Obviously that doesn’t mean that Williams will have the same type of success in his move to center but it does show that offensive linemen don’t have to have played center prior to coming into the league to have success at the position in the NFL.
 
Matt Paradis, who had a 66.9 pff rating last year is still available. Sure he is available because of that knee injury he sustained in week 9 last year. But with our situation I would go ahead and bring him in and have him rest until he is ready to play. By then we will know if Williams has learn the center position. If he has then good, we have a decent to good back up in Paradis. If he hasn't then William's to LG and Paradis to center sounds better to me then the plan we have right now.
 
No but I’m not crowing them ‘as they know better’ at this point, as you apparently have.
Fair enough.

I'll look forward to a season of competitive football and you can look forward to a season to complain about - LOL
 
I'd argue the blind side tackle is usually overrated. Obviously you don't want a guy letting people blow by like we saw from Davis... but completely blind hits on a QB are rare regardless of who you have at tackle and usually come down to a QB not being aware of the pocket as a play develops.

Center is definitely my #1 position, then just give me one above average guard, one above average tackle, then two average guys to round it out. With this in my eyes you should be a very competent line.


I get what you're saying. I think a better way for me to say it would be: Having a tackle that can handle elite pass rushers 1 on 1 is my #1 position on the line, regardless of what side the tackle is playing on. If your other OT is weak you can at least scheme things up to get him some help (Chips, TE/RB help).
 
I’m talking about when they first drafted him and before his injuries hit. My point is they haven’t had a decent center in a long time and Greer blew it by not drafting Creed Humphrey in 2021.
Looking at the draft in in hindsight always makes it easy to see what a team should have done differently. Like you, I liked Humphrey coming out of college but I also like Eichenberg. So while at this time I will agree Humphrey appears to have been the better pick. I also believe that with a year of experience and better coaching, Eichenberg is going to develop into a solid offensive lineman for the Dolphins.
 
I get what you're saying. I think a better way for me to say it would be: Having a tackle that can handle elite pass rushers 1 on 1 is my #1 position on the line, regardless of what side the tackle is playing on. If your other OT is weak you can at least scheme things up to get him some help (Chips, TE/RB help).

Oh yeah, trust me I'm not against having an elite tackle like that. I just like all the versatility a dominant center comes with.

Having a guy that can help either guard, pull on run plays, make accurate line calls and so on...I just like the value in having that guy as the "leader" of the line.
 
I think we would all like a vet center to be added. That being said from all reports the line seems way better than last year. I would be very happy if the line went from 32 to somewhere in the middle. I think we can do that with Williams playing center.

If they signed Tretter or Paradis to a one year value contact I would be thrilled. A big contract for either would not make me happy due to injuries.
 
I think we would all like a vet center to be added. That being said from all reports the line seems way better than last year. I would be very happy if the line went from 32 to somewhere in the middle. I think we can do that with Williams playing center.

If they signed Tretter or Paradis to a one year value contact I would be thrilled. A big contract for either would not make me happy due to injuries.
Reports were that he slimmed down and with the leg injuries it would take alot for Tampa- who was thinking of bringing in another guy cause of the Jensen injury- to convince him to get ready.

Paradis I don’t think would be ready to start training for at least a few months. Tore his ACL in October I believe it was?
 
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