Fins Filling Out The Offensive Line
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Miami Dolphins spent part of the day Sunday fortifying the offensive line that will be tasked with opening running lanes for Lamar Miller and keeping defensive ends off the back of quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
The Fins signed right tackle Tyson Clabo to play right tackle just a few months after he was released by the Atlanta Falcons in a salary cap move. Clabo, 31, was a seven-year starter in Atlanta who helped bring the Falcons back from an also-ran to a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
Clabo stands 6'6" and weighs in at 329 pounds, which is larger than the typical lineman the Dolphins are looking for in the zone blocking scheme Miami utilizes. Still, Miami expects Clabo to stabilize one-half of the tackle position for the team.
The move to add Clabo will have the Dolphins move Jonathan Martin to the key position of left tackle. Martin played some left tackle last season after Jake Long went down with an injury. Martin also spent several years protecting Andrew Luck's blind side as Stanford's left tackle.
The question for Martin is can he hold up against the best pass rushing defensive ends in the game. If he can, Miami should be set to make some noise offensively in 2013. If Martin struggles, the Dolphins could be in serious danger of another season of not making the playoffs.
With Clabo at right tackle and Martin at left, the rest of the offensive line fills out with Richie Incognito at left guard, Mike Pouncey at center, and Lance Louis or another lineman filling out the line at the right guard position.
