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The early reports from Miami Dolphins training camp are a mixed bag for the team’s offensive line unit. The Dolphins have seemed committed to kicking Robert Hunt inside to right guard and have continued to show dedication to Michael Deiter holding down the center spot. They, alongside Austin Jackson at left tackle, feel like the inevitabilites on the offensive line at this point in the process. But Liam Eichenberg has been moved around a bit as the team experiments to find the best combination of five and Solomon Kindley has started camp slowly.
And the practice reports for the group aren’t exactly glowing.
With Miami committing more assets to move up and secure Eichenberg a year after after drafting three offensive linemen in the first four rounds of 2020, should the team be concerned about a modest start to camp?
Not at all.
The team’s depth at tackle may have taken hits from the injury release of DJ Fluker and the low-risk gamble on Isaiah Wilson flaming out. But generally speaking Miami’s got a pretty clearly defined group of seven offensive linemen; most of which are young. And even more important than who is in the room, we must remember that this process is still extremely early.
There are plenty of Dolphins fans showing signs of anxiety over the status of the line. But the Dolphins have yet to play even a single meaningful simulated snap in a game setting this summer. That opportunity comes on Saturday when the Dolphins and Bears square off in a preseason clash.
Between the youth of Miami’s offensive front that is still growing and evolving and the lack of true reps taken this summer during camp, we are no where near the time to panic about the offensive line unit and what the final product is going to look like or perform like.