Applebaum takes the fall for Grier’s inability to fix Miami Dolphins line
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins are still making a coaching move, no Danny Crossman is still on the staff but Matt Applebaum is not.
According to Armando Salguero, the Dolphins are parting ways with Applebaum after one season. Apparently, not having the coaching ability to make the current Dolphin’s offensive line a gem is a reason for the firing. Salguero says that Applebuam was relieved, in part, because OC Frank Smith needed to take time to help him coach the line and the team is now looking for someone to handle it themselves.
The heart of this issue may not be Applebaum although on the surface we are being told that he is at least part of the issue. The reality is the fact that Chris Grier has no idea what he is doing when it comes to the offensive line.
Last season, Grier spent a lot of money on Terron Armstead who spent several games inactive due to injury. This isn’t something new. Armstead, however, wasn’t the problem.
Connor Williams was moved to center from guard and was a good signing for the Dolphins and that too wasn’t part of the problem. The problem was a right tackle and left guard and Grier has ignored these areas for his entire tenure.
Miami’s offensive line this year consisted of a plethora of up-and-coming All-Pros. Liam Eichenberg when he is healthy, Michael Dieter who played on special teams, Robert Jones, Brandon Shell, Greg Little, Kion Smith, and Kendall Lamm. And of course, Austin Jackson who spent the year injured.
Hard to be too mad at Applebaum for failing to turn that group into, well, All-Pros.
Luckily Mike McDaniel realizes the problem wasn’t as much with personnel as it was with coaching. O.k. to be fair, I have no idea why Applebaum was let go and maybe there was a vastly different idea of what McDaniel wanted but on the surface, Miami’s offensive line wasn’t bad because of coaching, it was bad because Chris Grier can’t find quality talent.
The move will mean that Miami will enter 2023 with their 9th OLine coach in 10 seasons. Maybe that is the problem.