The Miami Dolphins possess the pieces to having one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Miami has four former first-round picks, three of which were taken in the first half of the first round, on its offensive line depth chart in training camp.
Yet the group has continued to show signs of growing pains early in camp.
In the team’s very first practice with pads this week, the Dolphins’ defensive line recorded an astonishing seven sacks. That’s great news for Ndamukong Suh, Mario Williams and company on the defensive front, who face their fare share of question marks too entering 2016, but it’s obviously a bad sign for the team’s offensive line that allowed those seven sacks.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is no stranger to pressure, as he’s been sacked 184 times since coming into the league in 2012. That’s an average of almost 2.9 sacks per game.
So the idea for Miami here using so many first-rounders and acquiring another former early pick (Branden Albert) in free agency is to sure up that front for Tannehill. The Dolphins could have addressed several other needs with their 13th overall pick this offseason, but again, they decided to go with a lineman, rolling the dice on Laremy Tunsil.
On paper, Albert and Tunsil on the left side and then three-time Pro Bowl Mike Pouncey at center would be the beginnings of an elite line, but unfortunately, Tunsil has been slow to catch on at guard. Albert made the Pro Bowl last season, but now 32, he is beginning to show signs of age at least from a healing perspective; Albert has missed nine games over the last two years combined.
For that reason, the Dolphins want Tunsil to be ready to play left tackle too. It’s great to have a versatile lineman, but in terms of Tunsil winning a starting job, it would probably be much easier if he was concentrated on just one position.
