Finsmob Unleashed

Our offensive line going forward, assuming there are no cuts or trades sets up relatively economically. The highest paid lineman is last years big FA acquisition, LG Ereck Flowers. As expected, he was somewhat overpaid as free agent pickups usually are. I thought Flowers played well, especially in the run game, he is a mover, often getting the best of his man and getting a good push downfield. The big question will be who plays center in 2021. Ted Karras was signed to a 1YR deal last season and is an UFA. Third year OG/C Michael Deiter played 2% of the snaps and played in all 16 games as a ST’s player and backup. He did play most of the backup snaps at C. It’s possible he’s the answer at center next season or perhaps we acquire a center in the draft. Deiter did play 93% of the snaps in 2019 at LG The Dolphins got a first hand look at the Senior Bowl at 2 potential draftees in Oklahomah’s Creed Humphrey and Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Quinn Meinerz. Humphrey could be one of the earlier centers off the board, probably not until RD2-RD3 while Meinerz would be a later pick. It’s also possible Ted Karras gets re-signed.

1st RD draft (#18) started 12 games and played in 13 games missing a couple due to injury. He was acceptable, not dominant in any way, but consider he had just turned 21 and has a lot of growing to do. I think he clearly has his best football ahead of him. A full offseason of working out and training camp will have him in better shape to start the season. The other 2 draftees that played a good amount of the time on the O-line were 4th RD pick Solomon Kindley who played 70% of the snaps at both RG and then LG when Ereck Flowers was injured. Robert Hunt (2nd RD) played RT and played 68% of the snaps. Both of these guys are veritable mountains. Kindley did have trouble pulling which is expected from such a large man (6’3 340). Hunt while not as heavy as Kindley is still a big man at 6’5 330. Those 2 guys provided some nice run blocking when they were both on the right side.I’d say they were adequate at pass blocking. I never felt like the O-line was a sieve as I have felt in many years watching this team play.

My preference would be to draft a center, and he would compete with Michael Deiter for the starting job. The aforementioned Creed Humphrey could be one the first centers off the board. Other top center prospects are Alabama’s Landon Dickerson, Ohio State’s Josh Myers along with Trey Hill from Georgia. If T Penei Sewell is available at our pick, and he should be at #3 if we stay there, he’d be an upgrade over Austin Jackson or Robert Hunt but I don’t think we go that way. Weapons for Tua come in different packages and top OT to protect him wouldn’t be a bad thing but my feeling is we’ll continue to let young Austin Jackson develop at LT and go forward with big Robert Hunt at RT. I think we’ll be looking for playmakers for Tua with our first pick whether at #3 or later. Think Ja’Marr Chase or DeVonta Smith.

GO DOLPHINS 2021!!!