The Miami Dolphins have been a trendy pick this offseason, but no one sees them as a complete roster. There are holes that can be patched between now and the start of the regular season, and a new hole was recently exposed in practice.
Second-year lineman Jonathan Martin was the weak link in practice, reportedly getting beat repeatedly and owned by pass rushers.
"It has been eye-popping to see the extent of the domination because we're not talking about a sack some days but not others," wrote Armando Salquero of the Miami Herald. "We're talking sack followed by sack followed by other sacks."
Coach Joe Philbin had a more positive take on the issue.
"You guys were here," coach Joe Philbin told reporters. "O.V. got [Martin] a couple of times — once outside and once inside on a run-action pass. I think [Martin has] done a good job in drop-back. I think his sets have been good. The thing an offensive lineman consistently has to work on is the timing of the punch, kind of like a boxer. It's more like a jab. That consistency in the punch is something we have to have him continue to work on."
Martin has been shifted from the right side to the left, and that may be contributing to his problems adjusting, but that's also something he'll continue to become more comfortable with if the Dolphins leave him alone.
On the other hand, the Dolphins will have difficulty getting their offense off the ground if their pass protection is junk. We've seen time and time again instances of otherwise solid offenses being shut down because the quarterback had no pass protection. That's not a place where the Dolphins want to be headed, but right now, there's no relief in sight.
