PFF's final grades for the Dolphins OL

You guys know I don't like PFF, but hard to argue with any of this:

Ranking: 32
Miami’s offensive line surrendered a league-leading 235 pressures this season and recorded the worst pass-blocking efficiency score in the NFL. The unit did this despite being well protected by a quarterback getting rid of the ball quickly and by the team running the third-most RPOs in the league. The offensive line was run blocking on almost one out of every five passing plays, removing the chance of being exposed in pass protection. Miami gambled that their young players would develop this season and the line would improve, but that unquestionably backfired.

Player grades:
LT Liam Eichenberg | 50.7
LG Austin Jackson | 49.9
C Michael Deiter | 60.6
RG Robert Hunt | 67.4
RT Jesse Davis | 52.5

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-final-2021-offensive-line-rankings

The top linemen get grades in the 80s and 90s. You want to be at least 70 to be considered "good". Note that all of our starters are below 70.


If I was interviewing potential head coaches, the very first question I'd ask is: how will you fix the offensive line?

BTW, stats on pressures can be subjective. But using PFF's number of 235 pressure allowed by the Dolphins, here's how that breaks down:
--Almost 14 pressures per game
--Pressure at a rate of about 39%.

In other words, Dolphins QB were pressured, approximately, on 2 out of every 5 attempted passes. That level of ineptitude is STAGGERING. You almost have to try to be that bad. It's a miracle that we ever scored at all on offense.

JMP wrote:BTW, stats on pressures can be subjective.  But using PFF's number of 235 pressure allowed by the Dolphins, here's how that breaks down:
--Almost 14 pressures per game
--Pressure at a rate of about 39%.

In other words, Dolphins QB were pressured, approximately, on 2 out of every 5 attempted passes.  That level of ineptitude is STAGGERING.  You almost have to try to be that bad.  It's a miracle that we ever scored at all on offense.

Well that's it, then. A BLM/Antifa mob is being sent to your house as I type this to wreck it and you for daring to go against the official Deep State media narrative that it's all Tua's fault and he's the worst QB to ever take a snap in the NFL. You shall be punished for your insolence and wrongthink!

But seriously, the guy who drafted the O-lineman in the first round who couldn't even grade out as a 50 on PFF is going to be in charge of not only hiring a new coach, but at least the next draft as well. That should horrify everyone here as much as anything else going on in the world

BTW gotta love how the Bengals O-line--you know, the group who got Burrow sacked more than any other QB--is rated 20th which is UP two spots from last season SMH

But seriously, the guy who drafted the O-lineman in the first round who couldn't even grade out as a 50 on PFF is going to be in charge of not only hiring a new coach, but at least the next draft as well. That should horrify everyone here as much as anything else going on in the world

Yes.

I said it in another thread and I do believe this. Grier's time is coming. We need a lot more 2021 style drafts and a LOT LESS.... umm all those other years.

There is no way to build a talented roster without drafting well. Ross will lose patience with Grier if the team continues to flounder. There's only so many draft busts and head coaches we can cycle through until it's painfully obvious.

Honestly, I'm not even going to worry about Grier at this point - because he's here to stay. He's made some boneheaded moves (and some good ones), but he's not going anywhere. It is what it is.

He wisely distanced himself from Flores and has now guaranteed himself another 3 years as GM once he hires a new coach. Brilliant, actually.

DolFan 316 wrote:

JMP wrote:BTW, stats on pressures can be subjective.  But using PFF's number of 235 pressure allowed by the Dolphins, here's how that breaks down:
--Almost 14 pressures per game
--Pressure at a rate of about 39%.

In other words, Dolphins QB were pressured, approximately, on 2 out of every 5 attempted passes.  That level of ineptitude is STAGGERING.  You almost have to try to be that bad.  It's a miracle that we ever scored at all on offense.

Well that's it, then. A BLM/Antifa mob is being sent to your house as I type this to wreck it and you for daring to go against the official Deep State media narrative that it's all Tua's fault and he's the worst QB to ever take a snap in the NFL. You shall be punished for your insolence and wrongthink!

But seriously, the guy who drafted the O-lineman in the first round who couldn't even grade out as a 50 on PFF is going to be in charge of not only hiring a new coach, but at least the next draft as well. That should horrify everyone here as much as anything else going on in the world

BTW gotta love how the Bengals O-line--you know, the group who got Burrow sacked more than any other QB--is rated 20th which is UP two spots from last season SMH

I've been horrified for years by Grier. I've said for 4 years he's got to go. I've said we will continue to fail as long as he's here.

there is no denying it, the Miami Dolphins o-line was (and has been) awful. and while yes, some of it is lack of talent, i believe an equal (if not more) part of the blame falls on inadequate coaching and flip-flopping of schemes and coaches. how else to explain players who play well prior to coming to Miami, play horrible in Miami and then return to playing well once they are out of Miami (case and point: Ereck Flowers just to name the most recent of many examples)?

under Gailey, the Dolphins unsuccessfully tried to employ more gap/man concepts. this required larger, stronger offense linemen (think New Orleans and Baltimore). Hence Hunt at RT, Kindley and Flowers at OG. but with this years implementation of more RPO, the blocking scheme required a little more athleticism. i think this is what really necessitated moving Hunt inside (they didn't think he was athletic enough to play the edge where you need to read and react in the RPO despite a decent prior year) and putting Kindley on the bench in favor of guys like Davis and Eich. So it looks like Grier was drafting guys for one type of scheme, but then had to pivot and find guys for a different kind of scheme. throw in some ineffective o-line coaches (who probably knew little more about the scheme than the players they were supposedly teaching) and that is what i believe was the perfect storm of an offensive line collapse.

how much of the talent is salvageable? hopefully Hunt at a minimum and the rest (Eich, Kindley, maybe Deiter) wil depend on the next head coach, the scheme and the ability of the (hopefully new, yet experienced) o-line coach.

That's a really great point, merc. With the offense changing every season, it's really difficult to expect the same linemen to fit into a new scheme every year. That could certainly explain the big dropoff in line play we saw from '20 to '21. Well, that and inexperienced playcallers and line coach...

What I'd love to know is this: who decided to go with an OL that didn't contain any legit veterans (other than Jesse Davis...and I'm not sure he qualifies as "legit")? My guess is that was Flores's decision. I really doubt Grier would have said no if Flo asked for a FA lineman.

For the record, I was initially fine with going with the youth movement at OL since all of those guys showed at least some reason for optimism the previous season. But young OL - maybe moreso than any other position except QB - need to be "coached up" and developed. That clearly didn't happen. With an inexperienced coaching staff, having a vet or 2 on the line could have been very valuable to maybe provide some stability and leadership.

My take on the current linemen:
--I think Hunt is starting-caliber for sure, and can play RG or RT depending on the offense.
--Eich gets a pass for a horrific rookie season because he clearly wasn't prepared to start at LT...maybe he can shift to guard and compete for a starting spot. But he's not guaranteed anything.
--We can certainly keep Deiter for depth, but to me a veteran center is the biggest need.
--Jackson and Davis...buh-bye.
--Kindley is intriguing. I can see him flourish in the right system. Let him stick around and compete for a roster spot.
--Robert Jones impressed at RT in week 18. It looks like there's something to work with there. Like Kindley, let him stick around and compete for a roster spot.

So, yeah, Hunt returns as a starter. A few of the others can compete for roles, maybe even starting jobs if they earn them. But I'm trying to get 2-3 FA starters (one of which has to be a center) and working the draft after round 2.

Merc nails it IMO.

The 2020 Oline stunk, but it was not the stench that would burn out your retinas like this season!

PFF 2020 Phins O Line grade

28. MIAMI DOLPHINS

Few teams invested more in improving the offensive line than the Dolphins did entering the 2020 season. They spent draft picks on Austin Jackson in the first round, Robert Hunt in the second round and Solomon Kindley in the fourth round — all of whom played at least 700 offensive snaps this season.

Additionally, Miami brought in players such as Ereck Flowers and Ted Karras in free agency in an attempt to sure up the interior. To be fair, the Dolphins were improved along the offensive line this season, but they set the bar so low in 2019 that this was still one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL.

It’s to be expected that an offensive line running out three rookies — particularly ones who were considered projects like Jackson was — would take their lumps early on, and the Dolphins have. Hunt did provide some optimism late in the year at right tackle, though, as his 76.4 PFF grade from Week 12 through the end of the season ranked fifth out of 37 qualifying right tackles.

I was expecting the young players to get somewhat BETTER in 2021. That did not happen because TeamKiller Flores as is his pattern, destroyed the coaching staff ...yet again.. with his arseholedness!!

The Phins have a "perfect storm" of bad going on it seems to me.

Ross is a nitwit when it comes to football. He is great getting the stadium and structures fixed up, brining in business and things not associated with the NFL, but at team-building, he bites bitter weeds!

Grier just does not seem to the be the type to tell the HC and the owner, "Sit down and shut up! I am taking Herbert you dumbarses!" like he ought to. I think the team COULD struggle along with him picking the talent, but he has revealed a disturbing pattern in free agency IMO. That could be him listening to TeamKiller Flores though.

Flores - TeamKiller - Said all the right things to the media, but behind the scenes, he was a FLAMING ARSEHOLE!!! How the Phins won as much as they did the past two season is beyond me.

Anyway... I would get a big name Vet in free agency for the Oline. A tackle would be best, but.... Might be a guard or center as well.

And I still say... Given the right coaching staff, and the right schemes, the players the Phins have are not eye-burning stench-emitters like they were this season. Most of that stench came from TeamKiller's antics IMO.

Anyway... I would get a big name Vet in free agency for the Oline. A tackle would be best, but.... Might be a guard or center as well.

Personally, I would double down and solve the issue once and for all. My target would be the best tackle and best center in free agency. No more mid tier picks for project players that may or may not pan out.

Stop spending money on free agent receivers, and stop paying so much for LBs (Van Noy, Baker). Pour the money in to where it can do the most good: Offensive Line.