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2010 Offensive Line Analysis - Miami Dolphins

2010 Projected Starters:
Left Tackle: Jake Long
Left Guard: Nate Garner
Center: Jake Grove
Right Guard: Donald Thomas / Richie Incognito / Joe Berger / John Jerry
Right Tackle: Vernon Carey

2009 Injuries:
C Jake Grove: Weeks 12-17

2009 Statistics:

Overview:
Despite missing the playoffs for the seventh time in the last eight years, the Miami Dolphins showed some promise in 2009 by having an above average offense for the first time since 2005. Their running game was dangerous all year long and their passing game has the potential to be pretty good because of their above average pass protection.

The Dolphins selected Jake Long with the first overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft and there is no doubt that he will be the starting left tackle for the Dolphins for years to come. Long is a good run blocker because of his strength and intensity and also has a very large wingspan at 6’7”. Long made great improvements to his technique as a pass protector and found ways to make up for his slower feet. He has allowed only six sacks and has not missed a single start in his first two NFL seasons. If Long manages to stay healthy, he will continue to be one of the best in the NFL and will be a regular on the AFC Pro Bowl roster. On the other side will be 2004 first round pick Vernon Carey for the third consecutive season. Carey played left tackle in 2007 and did an adequate job but made the move to the right side in 2008 and played much better. He is a big body at 6’5” and 340 lbs who, like Long, is a very good run blocker. Carey has improved his pass protecting skills over the past two years allowing only ten sacks since moving to right tackle. He has not missed a single start in four years and gives the Dolphins one of the best, if not the best, duo of tackles in the NFL. Carey will be 29 years old when the season begins and still has a number of years left as a starter in the NFL. The Dolphins selected Andrew Gardner and Lydon Murtha in the sixth and seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft but these two will probably have to move to guard at some point if they want to see some playing time within the next few years.

Nate Garner is likely to enter the season as the starting left guard after starting the final eight games of the 2009 season. This job was vacated after Justin Smiley was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the off-season. Garner was a seventh round pick in 2008 and surprised everyone with his play at the end of last season. He allowed only one sack in his eight starts and held his own in run blocking as well. He will have to keep up his performances from last year otherwise one of the players competing for the right guard job could take over. Donald Thomas started the first twelve games of the 2009 season at right guard but lost his job late in the year. Thomas was a sixth round pick in 2008 and could develop into a pretty good starter but, for now, he remains slightly below average in both pass protection and run blocking. Richie Incognito is the most talented of the group but was released by the Rams because of his lack of discipline and his numerous problems with the coaching staff and his teammates. Incognito can be a solid starting guard, especially as a run blocker, but he’ll need to keep his emotions in check. Joe Berger started his first NFL games last season when Jake Grove went down with an injury and played very well at center. Because of his inspired play, he will get a shot at the starting right guard job this year but it’s more likely that he’ll remain a backup at guard and center. Finally, third round pick in 2010 John Jerry has been favored by many to win the job but he’ll have to be very impressive in camp because he’s competing with four players who started at least six NFL games last year.

Jake Grove was signed as a free agent from the Oakland Raiders last off-season and started 10 games in his first year with the Raiders. He played extremely well in his first year with the Dolphins and was especially good as a run blocker but, unfortunately, he’s only managed to play more than 12 games once in his six-year career. The good news for the Dolphins is that they now know that they have a capable backup in Berger.

2010 Outlook:
The Dolphins offensive line will continue to try building around their two star tackles Jake Long and Vernon Carey in 2010. The line was especially dominant in run blocking in the first ten games of the year averaging 4.7 yards per carry with Grove at center. The loss of Smiley won’t be much of an issue since Garner was almost as good in the eight games he played last year and he should be improved this year. The Dolphins have two excellent tackles who manage to stay healthy and six players inside batting for three spots so they will have plenty of depth no matter who wins the starting jobs. This line probably won’t be a whole lot better than they were last year but they are still one of our favorite offensive lines because of their depth and they are a very safe pick to once again be above average in both run blocking and pass protection.

See all of our 2010 Offensive Line Analysis Articles