What Will Offensive Line Look Like vs. 49ers?

The Miami Dolphins have injury question marks at tackle along with possible movement inside

Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Terron Armstead (72) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins could have tackles Terron Armstead and Kendall Lamm back in the lineup for their Week 16 must-win game against the San Francisco 49ers, but there could be other changes on the offensive line.

Head coach Mike McDaniel said after practice Friday that both Armstead and Lamm would be listed as questionable for the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium.

Comments by offensive coordinator Frank Smith and starting right guard Liam Eichenberg on Thursday are factors in suggesting there could be a change in the starting lineup based on performance, and it would involve the aforementioned Eichenberg.

In an interview with reporters from the three major daily newspapers, Eichenberg made a comment that could be taken as an indication he's going to be replaced in the starting lineup.

Asked whether he anticipated being in the starting lineup, Eichenberg told the three reporters: “I’m not sure right now; obviously the last game didn’t go as planned. There are certain things I can control. And obviously I didn’t play well enough. If they want me out there, I’ll be out there. If not, it is what it is. I’ll just keep working to improve.”

Sure sounds like somebody who isn't going to be starting.

Eichenberg indeed had a rough outing in the 20-12 loss against the Houston Texans, and the Dolphins do have a viable replacement in veteran Isaiah Wynn, who hasn't played an offensive snap since Week 7 of the 2023 season but has been back on the active roster for the past three games.

Wynn started the first seven games at left guard last season before he sustained his season-ending quad injury and he could start at that spot, with Robert Jones sliding over to right guard or Wynn could simply take Eichenberg's spot.

“I think he’s trending the right way," Smith said about Wynn, "preparing the right way, and who’s going to play on Sunday obviously will be part of the process for this week as we weigh all the things.”

It's almost surprising the Dolphins didn't use Wynn against Houston and move Eichenberg to right tackle against Houston instead of starting Jackson Carman, whose NFL experience has been mostly at guard and hadn't started a game at any position since 2021.

END APPROACHING FOR EICHENBERG?

Regardless, a benching at this stage of the season might write a painful final Dolphins chapter for Eichenberg, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.

While Eichenberg has started 52 games in his four seasons with the Dolphins, it's really hard to look at him as anything but a draft bust at this point because his performance has been uneven at best, though he hasn't been helped by constantly moving from position to position.

Still, he never developed into the kind of prospect the Dolphins thought they were getting when they sacrificed a 2022 third-round pick to move up from 50th to 42nd in the second round of the 2021 draft to get Eichenberg.

Eichenberg currently is ranked 70th by Pro Football Focus out of 75 guards PFF has graded.

That's clearly not good enough for any starter, let alone a player in his fourth season for whom the Dolphins gave up extra draft capital.

Who knows, maybe Eichenberg will get another chance or two to impress and convince the Dolphins to keep him around beyond this season, but it's just not looking good at this point.