Sportsnaut
The Miami Dolphins are preparing for the 2025 season to begin, and for the most part, the roster looks improved when compared to last season.
However, there is one area of the team that probably nobody feels comfortable about- the offensive line. Elite left tackle Terron Armstead retired this offseason, and as a result, left a gaping hole at the most important position on the line.
Patrick Paul, a 2024 second-round pick, is slated to be the new left tackle. Paul has looked solid this summer and in limited game time in the past and is probably the best pass-blocker on the team. On the right side, the team is set to play Austin Jackson at right tackle again, and Jackson is the best run-blocker the team has.
If Jackson and Paul stay healthy in 2025, then worrying about the line could be much ado about nothing. However, if either player has to miss time, it could be rough. Jackson missed eight games in 2024 and is already injured this summer after being stepped on during practice.
Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel classified the team’s backup tackles as “inadequate” to begin the summer. Perkins mentioned that the team had quality backups like Greg Little and Kendall Lamm in previous years, but there’s “no such help” this year.
Currently, Larry Borom, Kion Smith, and Yodny Cajuste are among the players competing for backup tackle spots. Borom does have some starting experience and has played both tackle spots, but the veteran graded out poorly for his 2024 performance.
Smith is a former undrafted free agent who has never handled a large role, and Cajuste has bounced around the league. Perkins did give some reasons for optimism with this group as well, though.
“There are two saving graces here: there’s still time for the current backup offensive tackles to develop; there’s still time to find more help between free agents and training camp cuts from other teams after the Aug. 26 cut-down deadline for the 53-man regular-season roster,” Perkins explained.
If one of the reasons to stay positive is that another team may cut a better player, then you probably are in a bad situation.
More must-reads:
