The Miami Dolphins have announced that offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg has been activated from the injured reserve. Eichenberg, a former second round pick out of Notre Dame, began the season starting at left guard. On November 1st, the Dolphins placed Eichengerg on injured reserve after he was carted off the field.
In his place, Robert Jones has stepped in amicably. Jones, undrafted out of Middle Tennessee State in 2021, has been better than anticipated, but still not great. However, this return to the active roster for Eichenberg should end there. Jones has been just as good — if not better — than Eichenberg was. The results on the field show in both the numbers and the tape.
Photo Credit: Junfu Han-USA TODAY Sports
Why Keep Liam Eichenberg out of the Starting Lineup
Discipline
One of the biggest reasons Robert Jones has been an improvement over Liam Eichenberg has been the reduction in penalties. Both players have started about 7.5 games along the Dolphins offensive line, but Eichenberg has considerably more penalties. Eichenberg has totaled five penalties this season, with three of them being holding. A holding penalty can absolutely kill a drive and put your offense behind schedule. Jones has just two penalties, with both coming as five yard false starts.
Run game revelation
The Dolphins’ run game was lost early in the season. However, they have managed to find some rhythm late this year. The biggest surge came in Jones’ second start against the Cleveland Browns, where Miami rushed for nearly 200 yards on the ground. Strong surges against Buffalo and Green Bay kept Miami in those games when the passing game was sputtering. The Dolphins spent far too much time early in the season averaging less than four yards per carry on the ground.
The Outlook Going Forward
Robert Jones should certainly finish out the season at left guard, regardless of whether or not Liam Eichenberg is healthy. The results clearly show that Jones has been more effective, and January is not the time to be shaking up an offensive line that is playing relatively well. Going forward, however, could be a different story.
Both Eichenberg and Jones can be categorized as ‘replacement level’ players. They are not complete disasters like the days of Sam Young and John Jerry, but neither have produced results encouraging enough that Miami should be completely ignoring the position going forward. They can both be on the roster when training camp starts, but some type of stop-gap veteran should be signed in the process.
The Dolphins have a drastically improved offensive line from their 2021 disaster, but this unit is by no means a finished product. The line seemed to self-destruct any time that perennial pro-bowler Terron Armstead was out of the game. Better players at both left guard and right tackle should curb that trend.
With a new look offensive system, featuring plenty of new and exciting additions, which players will make the final 53 man roster? Dolphins ATB breakdown the key roster battles ahead of the final pre-season game.
In years gone by, Miami’s offense has been stagnant to say the least. While the likes of Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle attract all of the headlines, a team is only as good as the depth it has on the roster. We break down which players will constitute the much anticipated Mike McDaniel offense in Miami, and who we think makes the Dolphins final 53-man roster.
Miami Dolphins 53-Man Roster Prediction: Offense
Quarterbacks
QB1- Tua Tagovailoa- Lock
QB2- Teddy Bridgewater- Lock
QB3- Skylar Thompson– One to watch
It is somewhat surprising how little we have heard about Teddy Bridgewater during training camp, with Tua taking all of the headlines, both good and bad.
Rather, the biggest surprise has been the emergence of Skylar Thompson. The Dolphins’ 7th round draft pick has been both impressive and consistent throughout the Dolphins’ first two preseason games. During his first two outings in the aqua and orange, Thompson has gone 29/38 for 347 yards, 2 TDs and no picks.
“He looks like he belongs out there. He looks like if he got a call, he would be ready to go…The skill set we saw on tape is what we really liked. The makeup of the guy and the work ethic he has, has enabled him to do what he’s doing. The skill set is there…His feet speak to him and tell when the ball is supposed to be out and where it’s supposed to go. He’s really buying into the details.”
Dolphins’ QB Coach- Darrell Bevell was full of praise while talking about Skylar Thompson during this week’s media availability.
Thompson’s impressive performances have led many to question Bridgewater’s value on the Miami Dolphins 53-man roster, seeing the former Saints QB as a tradeable asset. For the time being at least, Bridgewater is expected to stay with Miami, leaving the Dolphins with the very difficult question of what to do with Thompson.
Available roster spots are few and far between. Miami has not carried three QBs on their final roster since the 2018 season with Ryan Tannehill, Brock Osweiler, and David Fales.
Thompson will not likely see the field during the 2022 season. However, if released, it is very likely that Thompson will not clear waivers, having shown enough to be picked up by another team.
In recent years, Miami has committed on average $6 million per year to their back-up QB. With cap space likely to be more of a concern from 2023 onwards with big deals for Hill and Armstead to account for, it may be that Thompson will be a cheaper alternative to acquiring a rental journeyman QB once more.
Running Back /Full Back
Chase Edmonds- Lock
Alec Ingold- Lock
Raheem Mostert- Likely Lock
Myles Gaskin/ Salvon Ahmed- Ones to Watch
Miami’s running back depth is perhaps one of the biggest questions heading into the final preseason game. The battle between Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed being the biggest unknown in relation to who makes the Miami Dolphins’ final 53-man roster. Gaskin was consistently the Dolphins’ best running back during the Brian Flores era; his productivity in an otherwise stagnant offense gives him the slight edge on Ahmed.
Don't sleep on Salvon Ahmed's chances of making the 53-man roster. Had a strong week of practice vs Tampa Bay and has looked sharp tonight
ZaQuandre White most likely will make it to the practice squad, and may feature during the season given Mostert’s injury history.
Wide Receiver
Tyreek Hill- Lock
Jaylen Waddle- Lock
Erik Ezukanma- Lock
Cedrick Wilson- Lock
Trent Sherfield- Ones to Watch
Lynn Bowden Jr- Ones to Watch
While the above players are locks to make the team for their contributions on offense, the remaining roster spots will most likely be influenced by a player’s contributions to special teams. Lynn Bowden’s all round versatility as a receiver, rusher, returner, and even in the passing game, ought to earn him a roster spot.
The Trent Sherfield/River Cracraft battle is likely to be fiercely contested. Let us not forget that Cracraft was an early recipient of the infamous orange jersey. However, Sherfield’s contributions during camp and overall explosiveness give him the edge.
Preston Williams is likely to be cut, with Braylon Sanders hopefully making his way to the practice squad following an impressive training camp.
Tight End
Mike Gesicki- Question Mark
Durham Smythe- Lock
Hunter Long- Lock
TE was one of Miami’s biggest strengths, now it is one of their biggest unknowns. One thing is for sure: Cethan Carter is almost an inevitability to be cut. Durham Smythe and Hunter Long have been quiet throughout camp. Undrafted free agent Tanner Conner has impressed, however his immediate future seems destined for the practice squad.
What Miami does with Mike Gesicki remains to be seen. It is likely that he will stay, however, one thing is clear: something is not right. Gesicki has been quiet all offseason and has featured long into preseason games, while other starters have been on limited snap counts. Check out fellow Dolphins ATB writer Tim Rodriguez’s article addressing the latest rumors surrounding the star tight end.
Here we go again… At least it can’t get any worse… yet! There is no disputing that the additions of Terron Armstead and Connor Williams have certainly bolstered an otherwise woeful offensive line.
My biggest concern with this Dolphins' team at this precise moment? Depth on both the offensive line and at cornerback. Other than that, I'm feeling pretty good about this team three weeks into August. We'll see if I'm equally encouraged three weeks into September.
With Williams repeatedly struggling with snapping consistency, Michael Deiter has to be a lock to make the final roster in the event that Williams needs to shift back over to LG. The biggest concern has to be at tackle in the event that Armstead goes down. The Dolphins have a lot of versatility on the interior offensive line — not so much at tackle. McDaniel and GM Chris Grier may elect for further depth at tackle in the form of Larnel Coleman rather than Solomon Kindley.
The Miami Dolphins have made several moves in Free Agency, but have failed to address their biggest need thus far.
Photo Credit: NATHAN RAY SEEBECK-USA TODAY SPORTS
Amid rumors of interest in signing another tackle, the idea has surfaced that the Miami Dolphins might be comfortable with their current offensive line unit.
The tweet, coming from ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, points the finger at Miami’s scheme, proposing that GM Chris Grier may be content with his current personnel. However, they believe that the slew of draft picks struggled to develop due to Brian Flores’ coaching staff and their offensive philosophy.
The Dolphins have their fair share of big guys up front. Over the last few years, they have spend significant draft capital on talented prospects. Among them, Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt, Michael Dieter, and Liam Eichenberg were all drafted in the first three rounds. However, only Hunt has shown consistent success, and none have been able to elevate this line to a respectable unit.
Struggles Along the Miami Dolphins Offensive Line
By all major statistics, Miami’s 2021 unit was among the worst in the league. Game after game, they were unable to run the ball, with Tua Tagovailoa having little time to pass as well. Shockingly, the the Dolphins were around the middle of the pack in sacks allowed. However, that stat is quite misleading. Miami prioritized getting the ball out quickly in their offense, which prevented them from having a stable attack.
This, when combined with a variety of offensive issues, led to Miami starting 1-7 and missing the playoffs. In a year that the Dolphins’ had heightened expectations, ownership wasn’t willing to deal with such a low offensive output. Thus, Brian Flores was fired and took the brunt of the blame for the lack of development along the line.
New Year, New Scheme
With Mike McDaniel coming in, many expected new lineman to come in, as to fit a very different scheme. Unlike the offenses under Flores, McDaniel runs a wide-zone scheme, which I broke down in a previous article.
Long story short, Miami needed more linemen who can move well in space, rather than more power-centric blockers.
This boded well for them going into free agency. Big name tackles, such as Terron Armstead and La’el Collins, were nearly perfect fits for what McDaniel and company hoped to accomplish. It was just a matter of using their cap space, which was among the most in the league, to lock up this talent.
However, we are almost a week into free agency and Miami hasn’t addressed their tackle situation. As far as guard is concerned, they brought in Connor Williams from Dallas, who seems like a solid starter. Despite a high number of penalties, he ranked 11th out of all guards last season in PFF grade. The interior of the line is coming together, but the tackles remain shaky, at best.
A Lack of Action
Collins and Armstead are sitting on the market, and are even scheduling meetings with other teams. Collins, who drew interest from Miami early on, is meeting with the Bengals, and it seems like he may sign. Armstead, on the other hand, seems to be waiting on a decision from quarterback Deshaun Watson, who should pick a new team soon.
With two players of this caliber on the market, Miami hasn’t been nearly aggressive enough. They want to win now. With their biggest needs being up front, their new offense will struggle — no matter the scheme — if the personnel isn’t up to par.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s development has been shaky, and much of that stunted growth can be attributed to the talent around him. He will be entering his third year in the NFL, already having endured three offensive coordinators. If this lack of continuity in coaching is to work, it is crucial to provide protection.
Mike McDaniel looks like the difference-maker that Dolphins fans are looking for, and his other signings have been exciting. Weapons such as Raheem Mostert, Chase Edmonds, and Cedrick Wilson Jr. all bring high ceilings, and bring an element of explosiveness that Miami’s offense hasn’t seen in a long time. However, none of this will matter if they don’t solve the issue that has plagued them for decades. The issue that has ruined several offensive coordinators, head coaches, and quarterbacks: the offensive line.
The Bottom Line on the Miami Dolphins Offensive Line
Armstead and Collins still remain, but time is running out. If Miami doesn’t put themselves out there, they will have gone another year without fixing this glaring hole. It will continue to linger, and this blemish will show on the records of Grier and McDaniel, and may change the course of their careers.
This free agency marks an early turning point in this regime, and it is up to the Miami Dolphins to solve the problem and truly fix their offensive line.
Star Offensive Tackle Trent Armstead is set to be a free agent next month, and the Miami Dolphins seem like the perfect destination for him.
Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
The Miami Dolphins recently filled out their coaching staff, with Mike McDaniel and company ready for their first offseason. With free agency starting in under a month, McDaniel’s vision for the future will slowly come to fruition.
But, as seen through staff hires and past success, the basis of that vision lies with the offensive line.
This completely contradicts McDaniel’s style, however. San Francisco was stacked with offensive linemen, and their offense thrived because of it. In addition, they have managed to acquire top-tier talent year in and year out, with their most significant acquisition coming through a trade.
Trent Williams is elite at pulling in the outside zone game.
It’s clear that the veteran presence brought by Williams immensely helped Mike McDaniel’s offenses in the past, and another tackle could do the same for Miami.
Terron Armstead
As the New Orleans Saints find themselves in an unaccommodating cap situation, some high-quality starters will be cap casualties. However, none are as vital as starting offensive tackle Terron Armstead, who will hit the market in March.
The thing that makes Armstead truly special is that only does he have elite physical traits, he's also a technician in pass protection, mixing up his sets & hands constantly to throw off the timing of rushers + keep them guessing. PHD level tackle play here. pic.twitter.com/Qh2LOhfEbV
He has been among the league’s best offensive tackles, leading a Saints unit that thrived during his tenure. The three-time Pro-Bowler has secured the left side of New Orleans’ line since 2013, and it’s almost unprecedented to see someone of his caliber hit the market.
Much like Trent Williams, Armstead’s success has come from combining elite traits with stellar technique. His speed off the ball is top-notch, and he can keep the pocket clean while mauling in the run game. He has consistently found ways to shut down the league’s best pass rushers while opening up holes for backs like Alvin Kamara.
However, Terron’s availability comes at an interesting time. He only played eight games in 2021, and hasn’t played a full season in his career.
He will also be demanding a high price tag, being one of the only significant tackles on the market, with many teams looking for his services. However, even with these potential concerns, the Miami Dolphins should be at the top of the list of teams vying for free agency’s top offensive tackle.
Dolphins Offensive Line
The aforementioned offensive line struggles reached their breaking point for Miami in 2021. The Dolphins were ranked the worst by almost every metric, struggling to protect the quarterback or find a consistent run game.
Miami hasn’t struggled to allocate resources, however. Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt, and Liam Eichenberg were all drafted in the first two rounds of the last two drafts. Unfortunately, their performance has been inconsistent, although partly due to not having a successful veteran in the room.
That’s where Terron Armstead comes in. When healthy, he’s one of the best tackles in football. His mobility in the run game supports Mike McDaniel’s zone scheme, and his ability to pass block on an island would give Tua more time. Furthermore, he would provide Miami’s young lineman someone to look up to. Terron has been the epidemy of consistency, and having someone like that in the locker room can only help.
Armstead molly-whopping dudes. Rare to have a legit elite LT hitting the market this off-season…game-changer (this is significantly below 100% health btw). pic.twitter.com/SEH0qjEgbP
Terron Armstead fits in well with Mike McDaniel’s scheme.
The Bottom Line on Terron Armstead and the Miami Dolphins
He may be looking for around 20 million dollars, but Miami has more than enough money. To build around their young talent, Miami leads the league in cap space. They possess the funds to re-sign their top guys while also bringing in someone such as Armstead to fill their most significant need.
The injuries may be a concern, but it’s clear that these opportunities don’t come often. But the former Saints starter can change the game for this offense, much like Trent Williams did in San Francisco. Mike McDaniel observed the drastic changes in his offenses, and I’d bet he’s chomping at the bit to make the big move. So it just makes sense for him to end up with the Miami Dolphins, and signing him should be their number one priority.
Miami won for the 4th time in a row, in convincing fashion, and the Dolphins vs Panthers All-22 Film tells an interesting story of the game.
Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images
For the fourth week in a row, the Dolphins have found themselves as winners. This time, Miami won in decisive fashion vs the Panthers, with a final score of 33-10.
This game brought hope to Dolphins fans, and for good reason. This game showed the formula many thought they would at the beginning of the season. A combination of stellar defense and opportunistic, ball-control-based offense has gotten Miami wins over the last four games.
When watching the All-22 tape on NFL Gamepass, it was clear that Miami’s plan is starting to work out, and here are five things that stood out when watching the film for Dolphins vs Panthers.
Fantastic Phillip Lindsay
Following being waived by the Houston Texans, running back Phillip Lindsay was claimed by the Miami Dolphins, who were looking for another back to complement young guns Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed.
Coming off a short week, it was uncertain if Lindsay would play, but, as he explained, he was quick to get into the facility and study the playbook.
It was clear that the hard work, even in minimum snaps, has paid off. The two-time thousand-yard rusher showed, even with a below-average OL, why he was so successful in Denver.
First Lindsay run, and the burst is already the best on the roster. He’s gonna get a lot of run the next few weeks. Just pops on film.
Side note: every offensive play looks the same pre-snap. They love their pistol looks. pic.twitter.com/N9U3B4Ch3A
Above all other traits, his burst and awareness have stood out. Other backs, especially Myles Gaskin, seem to wait for holes to develop. This, although valuable with a good OL, becomes an issue when there isn’t time to sit back.
Lindsay, on the other hand, is constantly moving. Even when the hole isn’t there, his feet are always driving forward, raising his floor on yards to gain. Even when he gets tackled early in the play, his forward momentum keeps him from losing yards.
Phillip Lindsay has noticeably more burst than any back on this team, and he definitely needs to see the field more in the coming weeks. pic.twitter.com/3I2FWAJJbn
Along with this, his pass blocking is a thing of beauty. On QB Tua Tagovailoa’s 57-yard pass to Jaylen Waddle, Lindsay makes up for OT Liam Eichenberg, who got beat on the play. Coming out of the backfield, he demonstrated textbook blocking, attacking the rusher and providing his quarterback a throwing window.
Somebody stop Jaylen Waddle!
The part of this play that hasn’t been talked about enough is Phillip Lindsay.
After Liam Eichenberg gets beaten (badly), Lindsay goes out and performs a textbook block, attacking the edge and giving Tua the time he needed to make. an accurate throw pic.twitter.com/udwhW2Yiqr
Phillip Lindsay’s block opens up the throw to Waddle.
The Tuscaloosa Connection
Throughout college, Tua Tagovailoa found success in getting the ball out quickly in the RPO game, typically to his track team at wide receiver. The Dolphins, after drafting Tua thought that the best way to maximize the young quarterback was getting his collegiate teammate, Jaylen Waddle.
Through the first few games of the season, it was apparent that Tua and Waddle had chemistry, the level of which was unknown.
Now, however, as the season progresses, we can see that the 2nd year quarterback is significantly more comfortable with Waddle than any other receiver.
Throughout the game vs the Panthers, Tagovailoa targeted Waddle on a variety of looks, including several tightly contested looks, which contradicted notions on Tua coming out of college that he was unwilling to make risky throws.
Tua looks much more comfortable throwing to Waddle than anyone else.
An out route 20+ yards on air looks like pitch and catch with Waddle, who has a good ability high point the ball, which he displays here. pic.twitter.com/6dMCHpJTF4
More impressive, however, was the ability that Tua and Waddle have to know when the ball is coming out, and where. Tua, through repetition and natural chemistry, consistently throws the ball to Waddle before, or as, he’s coming out of his break. A prime example of this is the touchdown between the two.
Excellent Anticipation
When Tua releases the ball on a curl route, Waddle has yet to turn around and has three defenders near him. The ball was not only thrown early, but also put in a perfect spot for the rookie to make the play. That anticipation was a trait Tua was praised for at Alabama, and it seems Waddle is bringing it out now.
Here’s the view of where Waddle is when Tua planted his back foot.
3 defenders in the area, and Tua lets it fly.
This is anticipation at it’s finest, and why Miami took him #5 overall.
This was not the only instance of this chemistry, however, as the aforementioned 57-yard play showed the duo’s promise as well.
Following the Lindsay block, Tua put the ball right in the middle of the field as Waddle made his break. Knowing his ability to move after the catch, his throw gave Waddle ample room to work, even with a safety coming down.
Tagovailoa and Waddle connected nine times for 137 yards and a touchdown, and this game looked promising for the duo.
However, Dolphins fans and media alike had seemed to forget about the first-round pick, Jaelan Phillips. Coming out of UM, Phillips was regarded as a potentially elite pass rusher with a deep bag of tricks. This left Miami fans excited when he fell to them at the 18th pick.
Despite the hype, however, Phillips had failed to produce by all simple counting stats. While it seemed that he was getting close, he was rarely able to get home. Dolphins fans became frustrated, and it seemed that the optimism for Phillips faded as it grew for Waddle and Holland.
When the Dolphins took on the Panthers, all of it started to come together.
Coming out Party
Against an offensive line ranked among the worst in the league, Phillips was able to tally three sacks, a pass deflection, and a pressure leading to an INT.
Here, Phillips was able to get inside (where he wreaked havoc), and force Walker out of the pocket, which leads to a Needham INT.
Jaelan Phillips creates a pressure leading to an INT.
The numbers, however, weren’t as impressive as the tape on the plays themselves.
In particular, his work from the inside, with Emmanuel Ogbah on the edge, was spectacular. With Ogbah taking an outside route, Phillips was often left 1-on-1 with a guard. His combination of size and speed left these guards in the dust, and him in the backfield at will. With a skill-set as refined as Phillips’, it will be very difficult to stop him without tackle help.
Jaelan Phillips + Emmanuel Ogbah on the same side = hell for opposing QBs.
These concerns lingered into the season, as Miami’s offense was dwelling near the bottom of the league. Many were calling for the jobs of Studesville and Godsey, and Miami had lost seven straight.
However, they seemed to have found their stride in the winning streak, both of which continued on Sunday.
Operating out of heavy pistol sets with lots of pre-snap motion, Miami was able to create misdirection. The threat of motion-man Albert Wilson stressed defenses to his side, while Jaylen Waddle and Durham Smythe were able to find soft spots in coverage.
Miami’s play calling is vastly improved.
Here, they use this Wilson motion (which is now their base) to open up the slant underneath to Waddle, on threat of a potential Wheel or Flat. pic.twitter.com/2d8uQerwld
Miami goes underneath to Waddle off the Wilson motion.
Miami also used these looks to create counters from a play they love to run: the wheel to Albert Wilson.
Against both the Jets and Ravens, Miami teased this formation, running a deep wheel route to Wilson in both games. It was clear Miami wanted defenses to pick up the idea, and I had clamored on Twitter for counters.
Those wishes came to fruition on Sunday, as Miami ran almost their entire offense out of this formation. This base set led to several different runs, short and intermediate passes. With the Panthers expecting the wheel route, Miami was able to catch Carolina off guard and tear them apart underneath.
This jet motion has pretty much become Miami’s base, and they run so many different plays out of it. Pre-snap motion on a majority of plays, as we see more of a modern offense. pic.twitter.com/9aILjzmbNT
Miami runs their motion based pistol offense and gets a first down.
The offense will still need to improve over the coming weeks, but they are trending up during the most important stretch of their season.
Area Of Improvement
Even in a 23-point win, there were areas of the team that were less than ideal. One that stuck out was the offensive line.
On three separate occasions, Miami’s offensive lineman gave up pressures or bad snaps that ruined potential scoring drives.
On separate drives, Jesse Davis and Liam Eichenberg were beaten badly, leading to crucial sacks on Tua and then punts.
I understand that it’s Brian Burns, but as @HussamPatel put in an article, Liam Eichenberg doesn’t get low enough, and struggles to go out and attack edge rushers.
The other drive, before the half, contained one of Austin Reiter’s several bad snaps. After going too low, Tua was unable to recover the snap, and Carolina turned a potential Miami FG into one of their own.
The OL can’t keep collapsing on 3rd down. It’s almost like they’re thinking about it too much. One of them just blows an assignment every time. Waddle gets wide open, but the snap is in the dirt and Tua has to get it out too quickly. pic.twitter.com/MyNRZ0C982
If Miami is to continue their streak, eliminating drive-ending mistakes is crucial, and those start with the OL.
The Bottom Line
The Miami Dolphins are showing signs of life, and are only two games below 500. With games against the Giants and Jets upcoming, Miami has a chance to contend for a playoff spot.
Whether it’s too late is yet to be determined, but Miami has continued to improve over the last month. The tape continues to get better, and Miami looks like the team we envisioned back in August.
The coming weeks will be the most telling, and it will be exciting to see if Miami can complete the miraculous comeback season.
