One thing I have been reading about lately is that some draft experts, like Mel Kiper Jr. or former executives like Mike Tannenbaum, feel like left tackle is a big need. I even read in articles on ESPN.com that people around the league feel left tackle is a big need on the Miami Dolphins’ offensive line.
The question I’m wondering is why people are down on second-year left tackle Patrick Paul.
Paul was drafted by the Dolphins late in the second round of last year’s draft with the idea that he would eventually take over for Terron Armstead. With Armstead still pondering his future, it appears that Paul’s time is now, but people don’t have a good conviction about him.
I just don’t get it. He started three games last year and played in a couple of other games at left tackle when Armstead was hurt, and I thought Paul did a pretty good job.
The stage didn’t appear too big for him, and it’s not like he was always getting beat.
Was he perfect? Of course not. What rookie comes and lights it up right away?
You don’t know what you have with every drafted player because everyone develops differently.
Last year, the Dolphins used it to develop Paul to prepare him to take over for Armstead. The Dolphins last year put Armstead in a bubble and didn’t have him practice a great deal to start training camp and didn’t play him during the preseason so that he could get in shape and preserve his body since he has durability concerns.
Paul worked extensively with the first team in training camp and the preseason. If the Dolphins had not felt he was up to the task, they would not have started him or played him when Armstead got hurt over veteran backup Kendal Lamm.
Paul didn’t grade out well with the Pro Football grading system, but I don’t pay too much attention to that. Maybe I should, but I also have a set of eyes, and I think Paul has a chance to be a potentially good left tackle.
He must work on his game, such as run blocking and working on the speed rushers. Then again, all young players must work on certain things in their game. Every drafted player has weaknesses. Some players need time to develop, and others do well even in areas that must be improved.
I remember when the Dolphins drafted Laremy Tunsil in 2016. They drafted him to take over for Branden Albert eventually. They put him at left guard for a year, and he played well, but then in his second season, he inherited the starting left tackle position.
Tunsil struggled his first year starting at left tackle. People tend to forget, and he was considered the number 1 by many before the draft and sliding because of the gas mask bong video, but Tunsil got better, and he is now considered one of the better left tackles in the game and worked at his game. I think people need to remember this and have a little bit of patience with Paul.
Paul has the physical skill set to be a good left tackle in this league. He’s 6’7″ and 330 lbs. Plus, he can move for someone his size. He needs to be coached up and the Dolphins have a good offensive line coach in Butch Berry, who helped develop Austin Jackson.Is Paul going to go through some growing pains in his first year as a full-time starter? Yes, he probably will, but the hope is that he gets better with every snap. If he struggles all season, then the Dolphins will have to reevaluate the position next year, but until that happens, I think the draft experts and NFL personnel people should lay off and give Paul a chance to see what he can do.
