The Miami Dolphins’ reclamation project this offseason has several primary objectives. One of the keys among them? Quit messing around and get the offensive line situated after years of watching Miami’s talent and consistency get bogged down by ineffective pass protection and missed blocks along the point of attack. The 2019 season was no exception, although the team also had less talent up front than in any year in recent memory.
Why?
You’ve got to crawl before you can walk. And the Dolphins bit the bullet on a trade of LT Laremy Tunsil to boost the long-term prospects of the future, giving Miami the needed flexibility to bend the NFL’s draft board to their will, should they so choose for a single player. But now is the time to transition from tearing things down to building them back up.
We know now that one key offensive line free agent is out of the picture — the Arizona Cardinals have re-signed left tackle D.J. Humphries, making him the first shoe to drop on the free agent landscape of notable offensive linemen.
The #AZCardinals have agreed with OT D.J. Humphries on a three-year, $45 million deal with $30m over the first 2 years, $29m guaranteed, sources say. Jon Perzley and Brian Mackler of @SPORTSTARSNYC were able to strike a deal with the Cards on David Johnson and now Humphries.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 18, 2020
Humphries had a career best season in 2019 with the Cardinals under new head coach Kliff Kingsbury and will now reap the benefits with a 3-year, $45M extension, which will run through the end of the 2022 season. Humphries took 100% of Arizona’s offensive snaps and his athleticism was a natural fit for the Cardinals’ spread offense.
For Miami, the signing of Humphries hurts, but not because Miami won’t get a crack at him. If Humphries preemptively took $15M in a contract extension with no teams to negotiate with other than the Cardinals, imagine what the likes of Joe Thuney, Brandon Sherff, Jack Conklin, Andrus Peat and others are going to be able to command when the market opens and 32 teams are all simultaneously bidding on some of these players.
If the Dolphins want to fix their offensive line, they have to invest in it — not just address it. And there’s never been a more clear sign that any addition is a hefty financial investment in this day and age. And the Dolphins don’t have all that much of a choice if they’re serious about contending. So who will be the lucky player(s) Miami sets their eyes on and commits to sign?
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