Finsmob Unleashed

In the 2020-2021 offseason, the Miami Dolphins signed free agent C Matt Skura, who was not re-signed by the Ravens. I wasn’t a big fan of that move, I didn’t really have a lot of confidence in the Ravens castoff. Twofold reasoning here. When the Ravens let a guy go, there’s a reason. They are one of the best run franchises in the NFL and when they make personnel decisions, they’re usually correct. Unlike the move last year of bringing in former Patriot Ted Karras, this one smelled of we missed out on who we really wanted but we need to take someone. In walks 2019 Miami Dolphins 3rd RD pick Michael Deiter, #78 overall.

Deiter played all 16 games of the 2019 season at LG with 15 game starts. He played 93% of the offensive snaps that season. You have to go back to 2018 for Skura where played 100% of the snaps and each year his play has decreased. Of course it’s easy to say that Deiter didn’t play much at all last season, but 2020 is a mulligan due to COVID-19. There’s no official status yet that Michael Deiter will be our starting C but it seems clear that they wouldn’t mind if it worked out that way. The former Wisconsin road grader will be given every opportunity to take the job, and I hope he does just that.

Coming out of Wisconsin, Deiter played both left guard, right guard and center with the majority coming at center. Deiter is a bit tall for a C at 6’5 but the Dolphins had Mike Pouncey here for years who was also 6’5. Deiter can win at the LOS but has some trouble with second level blocks. I’ll take winning at the LOS for now. Deiter’s draft rating was “Good backup who could become starter” OK Mike, take the job and run with it! Deiter is signed through next season so we can get a good look at him this season and then we have next season to either decide whether he’s our future center or whether we need to look for another. Skura has a 1 year contract which to me says he was just an insurance policy that the team would use if necessary for one season.

As far as the other camp battles, Austin Jackson appears to be a shoe in for the LT position while at LG, my choice for RT Liam Eichenberg has been getting lots of snaps. I wouldn’t read too much into it, I still firmly believe that Solomon Kindley will be the starting LG. Robert Hunt has been at RG where I feel he will be the starter and Jesse Davis has been getting reps at RT. All this is very fluid though, guys need to get reps in and once again, I feel it will be Jackson – Kindley – Deiter – Hunt – Eichenberg when the dust settles. I do think there’s an outside chance that Jesse Davis starts at RT early but I think/hope that Eichenberg takes the spot.

GO DOLPHINS!!!