Dolphins searching for Oline options

[DolFan619]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_football_dolphins/2008/06/dolphins-search.html

Dolphins searching for Oline options

Nobody has hit ANYBODY yet. The real pads haven't even been put on, which makes it nearly impossible to tell what's there in Davie. Yet, you can already sense there's something about this offensive line that makes the Dolphins coaching staff and front office a bit uneasy.

Reading between the lines of a recent Q&A with veteran offensive line coach Mike Maser leads me to believe he's troubled about the options for that vacant guard spot, and depth on his unit. And why wouldn't he be considering every Dolphins fan has already bitten off all their fingernails on the left hand over that same subject (the right hand is reserved for the quarterback concerns).

Rookies Shawn Murphy and Donald Thomas are both raw and unproven. And not just for NFL players. Neither were college standouts for top level programs, so they are both making HUGE jumps. And even if they weren't raw and unproven, do you really want to put two rookies (Jake Long and fill in the blank) together on the left side of the offensive line, which is clearly where most teams will be sending their scud missiles and heat seekers to destroy the Dolphins passing game?

But what are the options?

A year ago Trey Darilek couldn't make an NFL roster. A couple of seasons ago the Dolphins had him and dumped him, and now he's pushing to start? Either he's made drastic improvements in one year, OR, this offensive line didn't receive as much upgrading as it needed. It's cool to go with youth, which was Jeff Ireland's plan. But what happens when that youth isn't ready in time?

Where's the backup plan? What are the alternatives?

Ikechuku Ndukwe is a career practice squad guy trying to make a come up. Steve McKinney's reconstructed knee might not be ready for the start of training camp, and if he's rehabbing for most of the exhibition season it's going to be difficult for the Dolphins to give him a test drive.

All this uncertainty has the Dolphins looking into former Browns center LeCharles Bentley to possibly fill that glaring starter vacancy. From what league insiders are saying the Dolphins and Rams have the most need for Bentley, who likely won't come super cheap, especially to play for a bottom dweller. But is Bentley the quick fix this team needs?

So, what's Maser to do? Read his unfiltered Q&A to get some insight.

Q: What’s your philosophy as far as naming starters?

A: Tony [Sparano] and I are pretty much the same guy. We’ve worked together before. We’re going to mix and match until we find the right solution. It’s not rocket science. Trying to find the best five guys isn't easy, and when it happens, you’ll know it.

Q: What has Jake Long's progress been like?

A: Jake’s a very talented guy. Comes from a great program. Had a lot of great teaching, so he’s ready to take his mark and move forward.

Q: Is there any concern about starting a rookie next to Jake?

A: No. I’ve had rookies play together. I’ve had a rookie play next to a veteran. A rookie is going to be a rookie, and those situations are going to happen. You just got to live with it. You got to keep working at it, that’s all. It’s just about coming in, doing your job, being a professional about it; understanding what the ramifications are and continuing to progress from a technique standpoint.

Q: What’s the progress of tackle Vernon Carey’s transition back to the right side?

A: It’s going OK. Vernon’s played over there before; he’s not been a foreigner over there. He played there I think the first two or three years of his career here. So he’s a kid who’s knowledgeable in that area. It’s just a matter of him learning our offense, learning what the calls are and the types of things that go with it.

Q: Is Carey a more natural fit on the right side?

A: He’s a big guy and you’d like your right tackle to be a big, thick guy like Vernon. I kind of thing he naturally fits into that mold.

Q: Has Carey emerged as a leader on the line?

A: Absolutely. He’s been in there, been involved. He’s talking all the time in the meetings and asking questions. He’s doing the stuff you’d like an older guy to do with a group of younger guys in there. He and [Justin] Smiley, with the exception of Steve McKinney, are the two older guys in the room. They have to be the pace setters for the younger guys. If they’re doing what they have to do, then the younger guys will look up to that and work at that level.

Q: Where is Shawn Murphy with his development?

A: Shawn’s a guy that in reality has not played all that much football. He’s had some ups and downs. He has a two-year hiatus in the middle of his football career [for a Mormon mission in college]. He’s got some things he’s got to learn. He’s got to play with technique and do the types of things from a body plane standpoint. I’m talking about all the time. He’s a very willing worker. He’s a smart kid. He doesn’t make mistakes. Right now it’s just about getting himself technically proficient so he can compete at this level.

Q: What are your early impressions of guard Donald Thomas?

A: Big, strong guy. He’s working hard. Very diligent. Doing everything he can to get better. He’s just got to work at it, that’s all. Everything is in front of him. He’s just got to continue to work and pay attention to the details like every other rookie out here. It’s all about detail work. In college they didn’t have a whole lot of detail work. All they did was beat the crap out of the guy on top of them. Over here, at this level, it’s more you got a big guy over your head all the time, so you better be proficient.

The question is, how long will it take for all this needed growth and development to take place? And do the Dolphins have enough patience to not let the few offensive line concerns present derail their quarterbacks growth?

How do you see this riddle playing out?

> Posted by Omar Kelly at 9:06:14 AM

[TEKGOD]

Translation: We are phucked this year. MIA fans shouldn't expect anything over .500 until the 2nd or 3rd season anyway. So this shouldn't come as a surprise. Carey should have never switched to the left in the first place.