Kelly: Is Connor Williams or Liam Eichenberg the right play at center vs Eagles?

Will Miami roll the dice with Liam Eichenberg starting his third game at center, or risk Connor Williams re-aggravating his groin injury if he plays against the Eagles?

Sometimes short-term pleasure leads to long-term consequences.

But when we take a big picture look at our approach, or decisions, we often ask ourselves, “Was it worth it?"

That's the question Connor Williams asked himself after forcing his way back onto the field for the Miami Dolphins' 31-16 victory against the New York Giants, and suffering setback on the groin injury that forced him to sit out the previous week's 48-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

“In hindsight, I probably made it worse, but I was eager to get out there," Williams admitted Thursday, days after being shut down again in last Sunday's 42-21 win over the Carolina Panthers because of his lingering groin strain. "I wanted to get out there and I’m glad I did get out there and pushed it. But now I’ve got to heal it.”

Williams’ groin strain is “feeling good,” which explains why the Dolphins’ starting center was on the practice field Thursday, testing out the injury that’s forced him to be shut down for two separate occasions.

“I’ve had the opportunity to heal and reset what was going on, and now I’m day by day on it,” Williams said, referring to a strain he initially injued in Miami's 70-20 win over the Denver Broncos.

The question the Dolphins medical staff, and coaches must ask themselves is whether allowing Williams to play in Sunday night’s nationally televised game against the Philadelphia Eagles, a showdown between Miami’s resurgent offensive line, the unit Williams leads, and what’s viewed as the best defensive front in the NFL, would be wise.

Williams knows the challenges that the interior of Miami’s offensive line would face without him, going up against Jordan Davis, Fletcher Cox and Jalen Carter, which is why he want to get into the action.

But it seems as if head coach Mike McDaniel is focused on the bigger picture, which is to get Williams, a sixth-year veteran, healthy for the second half of the 2023 season, and what Miami hopes will be a deep playoff run.

That's why it's possible that Williams could be held out of a couple games, allowing the groin strain to subside.

Would McDaniel feel comfortable starting Williams without him participating in a handful of practices each week, much like Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead did last season to play through his multiple injuries?

"It is definitely not ideal," McDaniel said last week, explaining he's open to the possibility because of the center-to-quarterback relationship that Williams and Tua Tagovailoa have.

Quarterbacks and centers are the starting point for the offense's operation, and plenty of their decisions — protections calls, middle linebacker identifications, tandem work with fellow offensive linemen — directly correlate to the success and failure of a play.

"I don't think I would have been comfortable in that scenario last year with Connor. I think I would be comfortable with that this year with Connor, and that speaks to him and his development, and the coaches helping them simplify a very complicated position," McDaniel said.

The Dolphins have confidence in Liam Eichenberg filling in for Williams for a third start at center. 

He showed drastic improvement from his first game at the position against Buffalo, a game where he allowed two sacks and committed a handful of penalties.

According to ProFootballFocus, an analytics-driven site, Eichenberg was Miami's top-performing offensive lineman against the Panthers, which like the Eagles featured a forceful defensive front.

Eichenberg has improved every opportunity he’s had at center, and the Dolphins believe that could be the 2021 second-round pick's best position long term.

“He first opportunity you go out and you have to play in that environment up there [in Buffalo], it’s a great learning lesson. Next opportunity, you get to come home and really sink into things,” offensive coordinator Frank Smith said, addressing Eichenberg’s development at center. “The growth [at] the position has been great for him and we’re very pleased with what he’s been doing so far. I know that he’ll never be satisfied with the work he’s done because like all guys, you’re always working to be at your best all the time. You’re always going to remember the play or two that you wish you could’ve improved on. But there’s a whole other body of work of things that we’re really pleased [with].”

As impressive as Eichenberg was last week, starting him in Sunday night's game would be like throwing a novice swimmer into the deep end of pool with 12-foot depth.

It could teach us that Eichenberg'is ready to swim, or we might need to call the paramedics.

It's either that, or put Williams onto the field and chance him suffering yet another setback.

This is one of the toughest decisions the Dolphins coaches and medical staff will be forced to make this weekend, if not all season.

“We’re preparing the right way and everyone is stepping up to the challenge,” Williams said. “There’s great communication. I think we’re on the same page with it. But at the end of the day it’s risk [versus] reward.”