Saturday, May 12, 2007

Paytonbrent34's Weekly Column

Weekly Column

It comes down to this……

Say what you want about the draft or the free agents signings that Miami has made this past off-season. You can talk about Beck or Culpepper, Brown or Ginn or the fact they didn't draft Brady Quinn, but when it comes down to the success of this season is all going to fall on the 5 guys in the trenches. The offensive line is what is going to make or break this season for the dolphins. It seems like another season where Miami is desperately looking to revamp and find a group of 5 guys who can get the job done.

Lets break it down, currently on the roster we have a total of 16 players completing for the offensive line positions. At the tackle position we have seven players who will get looks at cracking the lineup and they are Julius Wilson, Joe Toledo who currently is injured with both a foot fracture and a knee injury from the end of last season. L.J. Shelton, Marion Dukes, Vernon Carey, Mike Rosenthal and Anthony Alabi round out the players competing for both the left and right tackle position. At the guard spots we have Stephen Parker, Samson Satele, Rex Hadnot, Tala Esera, Dan Stevenson as well as Chris Liwienski and Drew Mormino. Finally at center we have Jonathan Ingram, and then Samson Satele, Rex Hadnot, and Drew Mormino who all are also getting looks at moving to the guard position.

Here is who were in the starting offensive line at camp the past weekend. Starting at left tackle was Vernon Carey and at left guard was Chris Liwienski., at center was Rex Hadnot and at right guard was Dan Stevenson and then finally at right tackle was L.J. Shelton. In his second season with the Miami dolphins coaching the offensive line is Hudson Houck, probably the only good thing to come from the Nick Saban era.
Houck transformed an offensive line that ranked fourth in the NFL in sacks allowed with 26, the lowest total by the Dolphins over the last three years, and half the total that they permitted in 2004. Houck's unit also played an integral role in the success of the Dolphins' running game, which averaged 4.3-yards per rush attempt. Between Houck and Cameron, I believe that they will get the O-Line straightened out in time for the regular season and with the amount of players we have competing for these positions we will be better then the past two years.

This is whom I see as Miami's starting offensive line at the start of this year. Playing at left tackle will be Vernon Carey at left guard will be Chris Liwenski. This is where I'm unsure of these next two spots it will either be Rex Hadnot or Samson Satele at center and the other will be playing the right guard position. Finally at the right tackle position will be L.J. Shelton. Combined with this offensive line we would be averaging an age of 27 years old at a height of 6-4 and a weight of 327 pounds, which is still a pretty young group with some good size. Of this line the only 2 new players are Liwienski whom we signed from Arizona and the rookie from Hawaii Samson Satele is the only one without NFL experience. That would make for a fair bit of experience at this position. I believe that Houck will probably go with these guys unless Miami makes some more moves as rumoured before the next camp. But when its all said and done 5 guys on the front line are going to make or break this team this year. So lets all sit back see who is going to start where and hope that the offensive line is the best they can be. If its not then it won't matter who's at quarterback or who's at running back or at any other position on the offense

No comments: