The success that the Dolphins see this season will be in large part contingent upon the level of offensive line play they get from a young but talented unit. The Dolphins’ offensive line was mostly awful during the 2025 season thus putting the immobile Tua Tagovailoa in comprising positions with regularity. Miami has made some key additions to their offensive line this offseason and for the sake of the franchise I am optimistic the line can be at least solid if not more than that next season.
At the starting left tackle spot 2024 second round pick Patrick Paul is set to start for Miami and could prove to be a very good player for the Dolphins. Paul struggled mightily as a rookie in limited snaps, ranking among the worst players at his position, ranking below average to poor as both a pass protector and as a run blocker according to Pro Football Focus. Paul in his second season ranked in the top 20% in terms of pass blocking efficiency among players at his position according to Pro Football Focus. Paul also improved noticeably as a run blocker in year 2 in the NFL but still ranked below average (67/95) among players at his position in terms of run blocking grade according to Pro Football Focus. Paul was drafted very highly in the 2nd round and has shown a ton of improvement from year 1 to year 2 while also proving to be a very good pass protector. Paul only appeared in limited snaps as a rookie so much of his rookie growing pains likely carried over into his 2nd NFL season. If Paul can continue to improve, he can become among the better overall starting left tackles in the sport. If he can go from a good to a very good pass protector to a great one, while also going from a below average run blocker to at least a solid one, the Dolphins will have among the better starting left tackles in the sport. Dolphins’ fans should be optimistic that he can show improvement as he already showed tremendous improvement from year 1 to year 2, he is still a young player who has not had the chance to enter his prime yet which he is set to do next season as such a high draft pick.
Set to start at the left guard spot is 2026 12th overall pick Kadyn Proctor who was drafted as a tackle and played tackle throughout college, however. Proctor, one of the most decorated offensive linemen entering the NFL in league history, will have his work cut out for him transitioning to guard in the NFL. Proctor will unequivocally have his growing pains in year 1 as a rookie transitioning to a different position. However, if Proctor was the right selection and has star potential, the Dolphins could have a high-level starter at the left guard spot towards the end of the season as he gets acclimated to the NFL and to playing guard.
Set to start at center is one of the most underrated players in the sport in veteran Aaron Brewer who is in the discussion for the league’s top center. Brewer, in his first two seasons playing extended snaps in the NFL played at guard but was consistently below average. Brewer over the next three seasons made the transition to center and has emerged as one of the premier players at this position. Brewer showed consistent improvement playing at center over the course of the past three seasons. His offense grade according to Pro Football Focus playing at center over the past three seasons in chronological order reads as the following, (11/40), (8/43), (2/41). If Brewer can keep it up and stay healthy, he will be among the best starting centers in the sport for Miami.
At right guard, 2025 high second round pick Jonah Savaiinaea is set to start for Miami. Despite his high draft selection, Savaiinaea was mostly awful as a rookie ranking last in terms of an offense grade among all qualified guards as a rookie according to Pro Football Focus. Despite his poor rookie season the jury is still out on him given his high draft selection and lack of ample playing time thus far in the NFL. New Dolphins’ head coach Jeff Hafley and new Dolphins’ offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik seem to believe in him as he is listed as a starter heading into year 2 despite an awful rookie season. Hopefully for the sake of the Dolphins, Savaiinaea can emerge as a strong player and live up to his high draft billing. But for now, the starting right guard spot remains a big question for the Dolphins.
Set to start at right tackle is former first rounder Austin Jackson who has had an up and down career in the NFL. Jackson has lived up to his high draft billing from time to time but in totality has not lived up to expectations. Jackson, in four of five seasons in the NFL playing in extended snaps has ranked below average in terms of an offense grade according to Pro Football Focus. However, Jackson for three straight seasons now has ranked in the above average to elite range in terms of pass blocking efficiency according to Pro Football Focus. His pass blocking efficiency rankings among players at his position over the course of the past three seasons reads as the following in chronological order, (4/89), (32/87), (21/95). During the 2023 season playing in almost 1000 snaps Jackson ranked among the best pass protectors in the NFL, while still ranking above average the next two seasons in that same department. Jackson has consistently struggled in terms of run blocking during his time in the NFL but has shown that he is indeed capable. During the same 2023 season where Jackson was elite as a pass protector, he also had a very strong year as a run blocker. During the 2023 season in almost 1000 snaps worth of action, Jackson ranked (29/89) in terms of run blocking grade according to Pro Football Focus among qualified players at his position. That was unfortunately the only season where Jackson ranked above average in that department and has struggled in terms of run blocking otherwise. Jackson’s ranks in that same department in seasons where he has played extended snaps are listed here in chronological order including his standout 2023 season, (85/93), (76/90), (29/89), (48/87), (59/95). Jackson has been below average but far from awful the past two seasons in that department and has shown the capability to be strong as a run blocker as well. When Jackson is on his A-game, he can be amongst the better if not the best starting tackles in the sport. Jackson struggles with consistency and as of now is just as solid capable starter at the position.
The Dolphins’ current starting five on the offensive front is listed below with me assigning each player outside of rookies a grade with some small footnotes attached as well.
LT – Patrick Paul – C+ to B- so far as 2024 second round pick – poor rookie season, tremendous improvement from year 1 to year 2, still developing as he only appeared in limited rookie snaps, star potential if he shows continued improvement.
LG – Kadyn Proctor – 2026 12th overall pick – One of the premier offensive line prospects entering the 2026 draft and one of the most decorated collegiate offensive lineman in college football history. Played tackle throughout college but will need to make transition to guard.
C – Aaron Brewer – A- – Has emerged as one of the best centers in the sport after starting his career as guard. Still has not played at an elite level long enough to warrant a grade higher than A- however.
RG – Jonah Savaiinaea – D to D- so far as 2025 second round pick – An abysmal rookie season where he was graded as the worst guard among qualified players at his position. Rookie struggles are however understandable, and Miami seems to have faith in him heading into year 2 as such a high draft pick.
RT – Austin Jackon – B- The former first rounder Jackson has had an up and down career in the NFL thus far but has shown he was indeed worthy of being taken in the first round from time to time. Jackson has now shown himself to be a consistently above average to an elite pass protector. Jackson struggles as a run blocker but has shown that he can indeed be a strong run blocker from time to time. When Jackson is on his A game he is among the better if not the best overall tackles in the sport but struggles with consistency.
The success that the Dolphins see on the offensive front in 2026 will be contingent upon the development of young players in particular, as well as inconsistent players being on their A game. If Patrick Paul comes into his own heading into year 3 and lives up to his high draft billing, then the Dolphins will have a very good to a great starting left tackle. If Kadyn Proctor was the right selection at #12 overall for Miami and if he can start to capture prime form adjusting to playing guard likely late into his rookie season/heading into the playoffs for Miami, the Dolphins will have a potential star at the left guard spot. At center, Aaron Brewer has consistently improved and began to emerge as one of the premier starting centers in the sport last season. However, Brewer has still not been elite for multiple seasons yet and if he can continue his elite play from 2025, the Dolphins will have one of the premier centers in the NFL. At right guard, Jonah Savaiinaea was drafted very highly but played poorly as a rookie in 2025. If he can live up to his high draft billing starting in year 2, then Miami could have a very good to a great starting right guard. At right tackle, Austin Jackson was a former first rounder who has shown star potential in the NFL but lacks consistency. If Jackson can be on his A game, then Miami will have a very good to a great starting right tackle as well.
The depth on the Miami offensive front is indeed a concern and Miami’s five starters will likely need to stay healthier for the Dolphins to maintain strong offensive line play. On Miami’s reserve offensive front I failed to find a player that warranted a grade higher than the C to C+ range unfortunately. 2023 fourth round pick tackle Braeden Daniels was drafted relatively high but has not played one regular season NFL snap as of yet. Perhaps he can provide Miami with some strong depth on the offensive front. 2024 undrafted free agent Andrew Meyer playing on the interior of the offensive front looked decent in very limited rookie snaps and could emerge as a solid player for the Dolphins. Guard Kion Smith was above average in very limited snaps in his first season in the NFL but has looked awful since. If he can build off the strong start early in his career, he could potentially provide Miami with some depth up front. 2023 fourth round pick tackle Carter Warren was drafted relatively high and despite looking poor thus far in the NFL, he has not had enough of a chance to prove himself yet. Recently acquired guard/tackle Jamaree Salyer had a very strong rookie season in 2022 ranking above average in terms of an offense grade according to Pro Football Focus among players at his position (tackle). Salyer has however been consistently below average since as he has transitioned between guard and tackle. Perhaps if he can build off his rookie season, he can be a very strong option off the bench for the Dolphins. The Dolphins could have solid depth on the offensive front if young/inconsistent/unproven players come into their own.
Given the current lack of depth on the Dolphins’ offensive line, Miami will likely need to stay healthier on the offensive front during the 2026 season. From a durability standpoint on the starting offensive front, Miami can be viewed as the following. Left tackle Patrick Paul suffered a major injury in college but has stayed healthy thus far in the NFL. He showed be viewed as a durable offensive lineman but not necessarily having elite durability such as the Kevin Zeitler’s or Penei Sewell’s of the world in terms of durability as an offensive lineman. New 2026 first round guard Kadyn Proctor suffered multiple notable injuries in college. Although Proctor is not a player I would deem as an injury risk, he is certainly not ultra durable. Center Aaron Brewer had one season in 2021 where he missed nearly the whole season due to injury, but he has played in every game in every other season outside of 2021, however. Starting right guard Jonah Savaiinaea did not suffer any injuries as a rookie in the NFL and started every game in college as well. Jonah Savaiinaea is perhaps the ultra-durable offensive lineman in the Kevin Zeitler or Penei Sewell mold. Starting right tackle Austin Jackson has a lengthy injury history and has missed substantial time in all but one season thus far in the NFL. With Jackson being likely to miss time with injury, Miami will need one of the unproven reserves to step up in place of him and/or for rookie Kadyn Proctor to perhaps play tackle as he did throughout college.
Overall, the Miami offensive front if it remains healthy and if young players come into their own, could be one of the premier units in the sport. However, if the young players fail to develop and Miami cannot stay as healthy on the offensive line, then the Dolphins’ offensive front could be below average if not poor. The development of young players on the offensive front, the potential emergence of viable backups on the offensive front, along with the health of the Miami offensive line, will loom large for Miami next season as they seek to establish themselves as a contender with new QB Malik Willis and head coach Jeff Hafley.
