Miami Dolphins Make Moves on Offensive Line

The Miami Dolphins offensive line is dealing with a rash of injuries lately, and the latest setbacks necessitated a couple of roster moves on Saturday.

The Dolphins announced they had placed Kion Smith on injured reserve and re-signed guard Chasen Hines less than a week after they waived him.

Hines spent the 2023 season on the Dolphins practice squad after being released by the New England Patriots, who had made him a sixth-round pick out of LSU in the 2022 NFL draft.

Hines didn’t play a game for the Dolphins last season, though he was elevated from the practice squad for the mid-November game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

When the Dolphins released their initial depth chart of 2024 last Monday, Hines was listed as the fourth-team left guard behind Robert Jones, Smith, and Matthew Jones.

Hines was waived Wednesday when the Dolphins signed wide receiver Mike Harley Jr. to the 53-man roster.

The Dolphins are dealing with a lot of injuries on the offensive line, with projected starting left guard Isaiah Wynn still on PUP and left tackle Terron Armstead having yet to take part in team drills in training camp.

And then there’s the issue involving center Aaron Brewer, who head coach Mike McDaniel said was week to week with a hand injury he sustained in practice Wednesday.

Multiple reports indicate that Smith sustained a torn ACL in the first quarter of the team’s 20-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons at Hard Rock Stadium.

Smith was pass-blocking in the pocket when an Atlanta pass rusher fell into the side of his knee, ending his night after eight snaps.

With Jones sitting out the game along with all the other first-team offensive linemen on the depth chart, Smith got the start at left guard between center Jack Driscoll and left tackle Patrick Paul.

Smith played nine games for the Dolphins in 2023, his first regular-season action in the NFL after he surprisingly made the 53-man roster.

Smith became the second player the Dolphins have placed on the injured reserve list, along with rookie seventh-round Tahj Washington, the wide receiver from USC. Per the new IR rules in 2024, the Dolphins can designate up to two players already on IR to return at the time of the moves to get to the 53-player limit, though those moves will count against the eight IR returns allowed.

It’s unlikely that Washington or Smith will get such a designation.