Finsmob Unleashed

If there’s one thing most Dolphins fans can agree on, it’s the fact that QB1 Tua Tagovailoa needs to stay healthy this season for the Dolphins to make the playoffs and more. That puts a lot of pressure on the offensive line, the protectors of one Tua Tagovailoa. An unfortunate development is last year’s center Connor Williams is now holding out and missed the last OTA’s. While Williams struggled all season long with high snaps, he played every single snap, and was a huge blocking upgrade both run blocking and pass protecting. In his stead in the last OTA’s, Liam Eichenberg took all the work at C and from all reports, looked good doing so. However this shakes out, we need to have our best 5 guys out there, and whether Williams plays OC or OG, we need him on the field. We already have question marks at LT, such as “How many games can Terron Armstead play, and play healthy? Detractors are everywhere when it comes to #74 Liam Eichenberg, wherever he plays on the line, and #73 Austin Jackson.

Let’s get back to Williams. He signed a 2YR/$14.035M contract just last season, and already he’s holding out? I want him to play, but I can say there’s going to be a lot of cap issues if we want to keep all our good players, and DL Christian Wilkins should be the first guy to get a contract extension. Williams played one season here and while I appreciate he played the entire season, that’s kind of what’s expected. Imagine if QB Tua Tagovailoa has the season we all hope for, what is it going to cost to keep him in a Miami Dolphins uniform? Bills DT Ed Oliver recently signed a 4YR/$68M contract. NYG DL Dexter Lawrence signed a 4YR/$87.5M deal. If Wilkins gets a contract somewhere in that neighborhood, and he deserves to, it’s going to be a challenge to pay everyone that needs to get paid. Granted, we did opt for Tua Tagovailoas’s 5th year option earlier this year which will pay him $23.7M. Still a bargain if he plays well and for an entire season or even the greater majority. I don’t know what Connor Williams demands are, if he wants an extension, or a significant raise and extension, but the latter may not necessarily be feasible.

If we can for a moment assume that Connor Williams plays under his current contract, or that we give him another couple of years with a modest increase, the O-line should be like this . . .

LT Terron Armstead – LG Liam Eichenberg – OC Connor Williams – RG Robert Hunt – RT Austin Jackson

Of course, all this is subject to change, even if Williams comes back. We may opt to play Eichenberg at C, and have Williams at LG, and then the RT spot may be up for grabs if Austin Jackson falters. We did bring in former Patriots OT Isaiah Wynn and former Jets OT Cedric Ogbuehi, both former 1st RD picks for insurance and competition. I know Hulk wants more, but realistically, more is not going to happen. Next year we can draft O-line early if necessary, and I understand Hulk thinks it’s necessary. RT Austin Jackson came into camp in great shape, a mans body so to speak. It’s important to keep in mind that Jackson was drafted as a raw rookie of 20 years old, and is still only 23 years old today. Perhaps it’s easy to say that he was a 1st RD reach, but that shouldn’t exclude him from being given an opportunity to win the starting RT spot. The LT spot will be one to keep an eye on, because it’s “when” Armstead is OUT, not “if. Terron Armstead has yet to complete and entire season of NFL play in his entire 10 year career. So Wynn, Ogbuehi or someone else will be forced into action at LT.

The Dalvin Cook to Miami narrative still lives in the minds of some, not this writer. We have a good mix of RB’s in our stable at the moment, lots of explosiveness. As I have previously mentioned, if we’re going to bring in a RB, let it be Leonard Fournette, who is a grinder, a reliable short yardage runner who has excellent receiving skills. RB by committee is the new norm, and Mostert, Wilson, Achane and either Ahmed or Gaskin is fine with me. If they want add a hammer, Fournette is the guy, we already have HR hitters with Mostert and Achane. I know Achane hasn’t played in the NFL yet, but RB is one position where talent translates very quickly to the NFL game. While A-Chain may not be the bellcow back, it’s just not necessary or even sensible. We already have backs and will probably carry 4 on the 53, and we will use them all. I won’t scream if we sign Cook, I just feel comfortable with what we got.

GO DOLPHINS!!!