Report: Miami Dolphins confident Liam Eichenberg can become solid RG

The Miami Dolphins reportedly are confident that offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg can become a solid right guard going forward.

Eichenberg, who has played left tackle, left guard and even center in his three seasons in Miami, appears to be an option to replace Robert Hunt on Miami’s offensive line after he left for the Carolina Panthers in free agency.

A second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Hunt spent the past four seasons with the Dolphins, starting 55 of the 61 games he played in. The last three seasons, Hunt played right guard after starting his career as a right tackle.

Injuries limited Hunt to just 11 games in the 2023 season, but he still earned a major deal this offseason in free agency. The offensive lineman signed a five-year, $100 million deal with Carolina, a massive payday to protect second-year quarterback Bryce Young.

Last season, Eichenberg – listed as a center by Pro Football Focus – received a grade of 46.7, allowing four sacks in 815 offensive snaps. He appeared in 16 games, making 12 starts.

Over the last three seasons, Eichenberg has played 79 percent, 97 percent and 96 percent of the offensive snaps in games that he’s played in for Miami while appearing in 43 games.

Similar to Hunt, the Dolphins invested a high draft pick in Eichenberg, taking him in the second round (No. 42 overall) in the 2021 NFL Draft.

It makes sense that Miami wants to give the homegrown offensive lineman, who has shown he can be a versatile player, a chance to thrive in the offense in the 2024 season.

The Dolphins still have some depth at the guard spot – even with Hunt moving on – as they kept Isaiah Wynn this offseason.

Wynn, a former first-round pick by the New England Patriots, made seven starts for the Dolphins in the 2023 campaign.

The offensive line is an extremely important part of Miami’s offense, especially since quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has dealt with head injuries in the past. Miami needs Eichenberg and the rest of the offensive line to keep the star quarterback upright and healthy if the Dolphins want to make a deep playoff run in the 2024 season.