Dolphins’ offensive line shuffle continues after Week 1 injuries, with a former rival being tabbed to provide new reinforcements
The Dolphins are tabbing a divisional rival’s recent top draft choice as offensive line reinforcements.
The Miami Dolphins‘ starting offensive line in 2025 lasted as many plays together as you can count on one hand. It’s a tried and true tradition in Miami over the past decade or so — the football gods simply do not allow the projected starting five to share the field together in South Florida. The latest development, a pectoral injury to guard James Daniels and a toe injury to right tackle Austin Jackson later in the game, have Miami’s entire right side of the line in flux.
Daniels is reported to miss several weeks, whereas Jackson is an option the Dolphins are still getting more feedback on, per head coach Mike McDaniel. Given the shoddy performances of Miami’s running backs and tight ends in pass protection, dropping the entire right side of the offensive line would be an uninspiring development for an offense that seemed to get nothing right in Week 1.
The Dolphins have reportedly found some reinforcements. Reports on Tuesday have them signing former first-round draft choice Cole Strange.
Miami Dolphins sign interior offensive lineman Cole Strange off Browns practice squad
Strange arrives in Miami after time in New England (2022-2025) and Cleveland (2025). He’s got experience playing both guard and center, making him the latest addition alongside Daniel Brunskill and Liam Eichenberg to offer interior flexibility. Eichenberg is currently on the team’s Physically Unable to Perform List due to an unspecified injury coming into training camp.
Brunskill was not the first man up for the Dolphins once Daniels went down, however — that honor went to Kion Smith. Smith appeared to struggle despite getting cross-training at guard this summer but McDaniel offered some words of encouragement on Monday.
“I though (Smith) did a very good job in there. He got more and more comfortable and I think the last drive or two, he was able to do some pass sets that his feet connected with his hands in terms of timing and he shocked the defender at the line of scrimmage, so there was some positive stuff from his game,” said McDaniel. “There were some details like really every player had where they can very much improve which is why they employ coaches, is to find those things and then improve them and count on their guys to lean into all those things and get our game ready for Sundays like it should be.”
Strange’s addition can offer more insurance in the event that Brunskill gets the call up over Smith in Week 2, or Strange could potentially serve as an alternative option himself once he is engrained into the game plan. One thing his addition certainly means is that we won’t be seeing James Daniels for at least a few weeks, which is par for the course for a Miami Dolphins’ offensive line unit as of recent years.