Dolphins position review: Does Miami need to rebuild its offensive line?

It was another season of musical chairs along the offensive line for a Dolphins franchise that has been desperate for cohesive play for years. And now, Miami might need to remake the unit this offseason with multiple starters hitting free agency.

In the fifth of a series of position reviews, the Miami Herald will examine the team’s offensive line situation. Next up is defensive line.

2023 in review

Despite pleas from fans to make significant upgrades along the offensive line, the Dolphins’ decision-makers expressed faith in their internal options. Miami signed veteran Isaiah Wynn, who beat out Liam Eichenberg for the starting left guard spot, but otherwise returned its starting line from the 2022 season, hoping that new position coach Butch Barry and continuity fostered by a second season in the scheme would lead to improvements.

Under Barry’s coaching, Miami’s offensive line made strides, but injuries hampered the unit throughout the season. Wynn sustained a season-ending quad injury in Week 7. Center Connor Williams tore his ACL in Week 14 and missed eight games in total. Right guard Robert Hunt missed seven games with a hamstring issue. And left tackle Terron Armstead missed seven games with an assortment of injuries.

In total, the Dolphins used 12 different starting combinations because of injuries. The unit could be in flux this offseason, as Wynn, Williams and Hunt are all free agents and Armstead is contemplating retirement.

Depth chart

Terron Armstead

▪ Skinny: Despite missing seven games, Armstead was named to his fifth Pro Bowl. He said he is considering retiring after 11 seasons in the NFL.

▪ Contract: Armstead, who turns 33 in July, is entering the third year of a five-year contract he signed in 2022. He has a cap hit of $20,196,985, the sixth largest on the team.

Isaiah Wynn

▪ Skinny: Wynn, a late free agency addition, was a stabilizing force at left guard until a quad injury in Week 7 sidelined him for the rest of the season.

▪ Contract: Wynn, who turns 29 in December, is an unrestricted free agent.

Connor Williams

▪ Skinny: Williams skipped spring workouts as he sought a new contract. He didn’t receive a new deal but reported to training camp to avoid incurring daily fines. Williams was once again playing like one of the best centers in the NFL but dealt with a nagging groin injury that forced him to miss four games in the first half of the season. He tore his ACL in Week 14 and missed the rest of the season.

▪ Contract: Williams, who turns 27 in May, is an unrestricted free agent.

Robert Hunt

▪ Skinny: Hunt continued to establish himself as one of the best interior linemen in the league but missed games because of injury for the first time in his NFL career. A lingering quad injury sidelined him for seven games.

▪ Contract: Hunt, who turns 28 in August, is an unrestricted free agent.

Austin Jackson

▪ Skinny: Jackson, who played in just two games in 2022 because of ankle injuries, only missed one game to injury in 2023. In a contract year, Jackson played the best football of his young career and was rewarded with a three-year, $36 million extension in December.

▪ Contract: Jackson, who turns 25 in August, is entering the first year of a three-year extension he signed in 2023. He has a cap hit of $4,577,113.

Liam Eichenberg

▪ Skinny: Eichenberg lost the starting left guard competition but emerged as a much-needed stopgap amid the injuries along the offensive line. He started 12 games as an interior offensive lineman, with the majority of the snaps coming at center when Williams went down.

▪ Contract: Eichenberg, 26, is entering the final year of his four-year rookie contract. He has a cap hit of $2,550,063 but none of his $1,752,885 base salary is guaranteed.

Kendall Lamm

▪ Skinny: Lamm started eight games at both tackle positions.

▪ Contract: Lamm, who turns 32 in July, is an unrestricted free agent.

Robert Jones

▪ Skinny: Jones began the season on injured reserve because of a knee injury but returned and started five games at guard.

▪ Contract: Jones, 25, is a restricted free agent.

Lester Cotton

▪ Skinny: Cotton started eight games at left and right guard.

▪ Contract: Cotton, who turns 28 in February, is an unrestricted free agent.

Kion Smith

▪ Skinny: Smith appeared in nine games.

▪ Contract: Smith, who turns 26 in October, is an exclusive rights free agent. The Dolphins can retain Smith by offering him a one-year, league minimum contract.

Jonotthan Harrison

▪ Skinny: The Dolphins signed Harrison as depth after Williams’ injury in December. Harrison played nine snaps in two games.

▪ Contract: Harrison, who turns 33 in August, is an unrestricted free agent.

Offseason questions

1. Will Armstead retire or return?

Two days after the Dolphins’ season ended in the wild-card round, Armstead intimated he could be walking away from the game this offseason. As teammates cleaned out their lockers and said their goodbyes, Armstead spoke about how he still loved football and was chasing a ring but noted how much injuries impacted him in 2023, calling it “one of the most challenging years” of his career.

At the Pro Bowl weeks later, Armstead told reporters that he was still mulling his situation but would not let a decision drag on. When healthy, Armstead is still one of the better left tackles in the league. But he’s missed 11 games since signing with Miami in the 2022 offseason. Armstead retiring would effectively work as a release as it pertains to the Dolphins’ salary cap, with Armstead forfeiting the remaining $5 million base salary guaranteed on the last three years of his deal. There would be long-term relief in the coming seasons but the Dolphins, already with a precarious cap situation, would be in the market for a starting left tackle. Even if Armstead does return, Miami would be prudent to start preparing for the future.

2. How many starters can the Dolphins retain?

Williams and Hunt have both made cases to be among the highest-paid players at their positions. The negotiations with Williams are perhaps complicated by the outlook on his rehabilitation; Spotrac estimates his market value at a contract averaging $13.5 million, which would only trail the Philadelphia Eagles’ Jason Kelce among centers.

Hunt is projected to receive a contract averaging $11.8 million, according to Spotrac, which would be top five among right guards. The franchise tag, which is projected to be about $21.7 million for all offensive linemen, is unlikely if the two sides can’t reach an agreement on a deal before the March 5 franchise tag deadline.

3. What upgrades can Miami make?

Even with the Dolphins’ offensive line making strides in 2023, there were signs that more reinforcements are needed in 2024. Miami allowed the fewest pressures in the NFL but that was largely because of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s quick release time. The Dolphins ranked 31st in ESPN’s pass block win rate, defined as how often linemen hold their blocks for at least 2.5 seconds.

If the offense wants to take another step forward next season, it will need to incorporate longer-developing routes and dropbacks, which puts more pressure on the offensive line to sustain their blocks for more time. Maintaining the status quo on the offensive line shouldn’t be enough.

Potential additions

With limited projected cap space, the Dolphins will have to make savvy free agent signings as they have with Wynn and Lamm in recent years. The Baltimore Ravens’ Sam Mustipher or Detroit Lions’ Graham Glasgow could be low-cost but effective options.

In the draft, Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson has been a popular selection for the Dolphins’ first-round pick (No. 21 overall) in mock drafts. Arizona tackle Jordan Morgan, Oregon State tackle Taliese Fuaga and Washington tackle Troy Fautanu are also expected to be available in Miami’s range.