The Miami Dolphins have a few positions on the offensive line locked up, because we pretty much know that Branden Albert will lock down the left side, Mike Pouncey will continue to be a star at center, first-round rookie Ja’Wuan James has right tackle manned, and offseason signing Shelley Smith will start at right guard. Left guard, however, remains a position of some uncertainty, as there are several viable candidates looking to secure the job in between two top-notch blockers in Albert and Pouncey.
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According to Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins are using second-year pro Dallas Thomas as the starter at left guard on the first day of OTAs, but the 24-year-old Tennessee product has his work cut out for him. Rookie Billy Turner will probably get every opportunity to start, and veteran Nate Garner is itching to secure a starting gig on the line. There could be another player in the mix, but Turner, Garner, and Thomas look like the three front-runners.
Thomas has been lost in the shuffle a bit after doing next to nothing as a rookie, so we’ll see if he can snag a starting gig and emerge out of the depths. Versatility is his main calling card, though, and it seems like he’s better off as something of a utility backup at either position. That said, the left guard spot is wide open, and the starter will try to avoid being the weakest link on a line that underwent sweeping changes after last year’s downright embarrassing displays.