Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: The Dolphins biggest need in the NFL Draft is on the offensive line.
The Dolphins have a glaring hole at one of two offensive tackle spots after Jake Long departed for St. Louis last month (Jonathan Martin can play either side). This year’s draft, which begins in 17 days, has three elite tackle prospects in Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel, Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher and Oklahoma’s Lane Johnson. We keep hearing that the Dolphins love all three prospects, but that Johnson could be the likeliest target, given that he could be available with the 12th pick or cost the least in a trade-up.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, a former scout with three different teams, has said several times that he expects the Dolphins to trade up from 12 and land Johnson. Agent Drew Rosenhaus, who doesn’t represent any of the aforementioned tackles, said last night on WSVN Channel 7 that he expects the Dolphins to draft a tackle with their first-round pick.
“At this point, that’s what I’m hearing from everyone,” he said.
On paper, drafting an elite tackle certainly makes sense. And the only reason it’s the team’s biggest hole is because they filled the other ones in free agency, landing exciting players at wide receiver, tight end, linebacker and cornerback.
Still, it has to be at least a little frustrating for Dolphins fans to hear that, yet again, the team could be targeting a big, beefy offensive lineman with its first pick instead of a dynamic playmaker. Six years into Jeff Ireland’s tenure as GM, they still haven’t quite figured out the offensive line. And they have generally shown an aversion to taking offensive skill players in the first round.
In 2008, they chose Long over QB Matt Ryan with the No. 1 overall pick, and are still paying for that decision (especially now that Long is gone). After swinging and missing on Jake Grove in free agency, they used the No. 15 pick in 2011 on center Mike Pouncey – a terrific pick, but one that cost them the chance to get an offensive playmaker or quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Last year they didn’t use their first-round pick on an offensive lineman – quarterback Ryan Tannehill was the pick, of course – but the next pick, 42nd overall, was spent on Martin. The Dolphins didn’t take an offensive lineman in 2010, but they opted to trade down instead of drafting WR Dez Bryant at 12, and instead took a defensive lineman (Jared Odrick), linebacker (Koa Misi) and guard (John Jerry) with their first three picks. Jerry, who started all 16 games last year at right guard, could be on his way out after the Dolphins signed Lance Louis in free agency.
One big reason the Dolphins have needed offensive linemen in the draft is because they haven’t done well in free agency. They got just three mediocre seasons out of former OT Vernon Carey after giving him $15 million guaranteed before the 2009 season. LG Justin Smiley lasted just two seasons after the Dolphins signed him to a five-year deal before the 2008 season. RT Marc Colombo was a disaster in his one season in Miami (2011). Grove, as mentioned before, lasted just one year after getting $14 million guaranteed before the 2009 season. The Dolphins gave big money to Richie Incognito over the last three seasons after cutting Donald Thomas and letting him sign with New England.
Then again, maybe Ireland focuses on drafting beefy players with his first few picks because his track record of picking offensive skill players isn’t great. Only one of Ireland’s first five drafts has had a heavy focus on playmakers – 2009, when they took CB Vontae Davis, QB Pat White, CB Sean Smith, WR Patrick Turner and WR Brian Hartline with their first five picks. And, well, we see how that turned out.
The Dolphins will still try to find playmakers in this draft – they are likely to draft a tight end, pass rusher, cornerback and at least one more receiver. But it’s got to be frustrating for fans to hear the Dolphins, once again, potentially focusing their sights on an offensive lineman with the top pick instead of player who can score touchdowns.
