New-look line brings hope to Miami’s ‘O’

By Richard Diaz  |   Thursday, June 19, 2008  |  Comments( 3 )

Miami Dolphins
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Without adequate blocking, Miami Dolphins running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams will obviously be ill-equipped to handle the load that’s likely coming their way in 2008. Moreover, working with a mediocre crop of wide receivers is going to be difficult for John Beck or Josh McCown. If Miami's offensive line can’t provide enough protection, the passing game will be feared even less than it was last season, if that’s possible.

On that note, Bill Parcells and company have taken up the task of building an O-line that opponents will need to respect both this season and beyond. Let's take a look at it.

Jake Long, the first overall pick of the 2008 draft, is a tremendous upgrade at tackle, especially when it comes to being an intricate piece of the rush attack. In addition to that, he’ll also have to protect an inexperienced quarterback, meaning he’s got to adapt to the speed of the NFL, and he must do so quickly. As a side note, guard Justin Smiley has been impressed with Long, going as far as boasting that “he’s going to be a perennial Pro Bowler.”

Another youngster who's poised for some action during the 2008 campaign is fourth-round pick Shawn Murphy. The son of former Atlanta Braves star Dale Murphy, Shawn received one of the top blocking-consistency grades of any player at his position. That statistic is even more impressive when you realize that he’s only been an offensive lineman for two years. At 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, Murphy’s a big kid who has the potential to be a stellar lineman for years to come.

Last season saw Samson Satele become the first rookie in Dolphins history to start every game at center. Even though the season was a disaster, the team did have some early rushing success behind him. Although a forgotten statistic, Brown was well on his way to a fifth straight game with 100-plus rushing yards prior to tearing his ACL, and Satele deserves some credit for that success.

Couple that youth with a few veterans, and the end result could very well be a much-improved offensive line for the Dolphins years. Smiley, a right guard, was brought in during free agency. He was the San Francisco 49ers' second-round pick in 2004, but failed contract negotiations led him to look for a new home. On a line that’s going to feature a rookie and second-year starter, there’s little doubt that his veteran presence is a welcome addition.

Meanwhile, thanks to Long, Vernon Carey will be playing the position that he dominated while attending the University of Miami -- right tackle. Although a difficult transition back to the right side, fans should look forward to Carey being a strong force on the O-line.

As it stands, the starting group will likely include Long, Satele, Carey and Smiley. A contender for the final starting spot is guard Trey Darilek, who’s been worked out at every O-line position during the offseason.

Simply put, the Dolphins are going to field a young and inexperienced offense this year. With that said, it’s fair to assume that their overall success or failure will rest on the O-line’s ability to control the game. The good news for fans is that their team's blocking quintet looks poised to become one of the NFL's top young groups as early as '08.
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