9 Offensive Snaps Got Kion Smith Waived: Dolphins O-Line Depth Is In Serious Trouble

Hold up, did you see what went down in Miami on Monday? The Dolphins just dropped a bomb, officially waving goodbye to offensive linemen Kion Smith and Carter Warren. This isn't just a minor shuffle, folks. You gotta wonder what's going on with their O-line room, because these moves leave them with some serious questions about who's gonna protect the quarterback, especially with a UFL All-Star safety, Major Burns, being signed up at the same time. Talk about contrasting roster moves!

Kion Smith's Rocky Road Ends in Miami

Let's be real, Kion Smith's tenure with the Dolphins was a rollercoaster. He was with them since 2021, but spent a lot of that time grinding on the practice squad. Over five years, he only played in 23 games, with just two starts, both coming last year. And get this, those starts were at right guard only because veteran James Daniels got hurt in the season opener against the Colts. It wasn't exactly a vote of confidence, was it? Things went downhill fast from there. Smith got pulled from the lineup during the Week 3 Thursday night game against the Buffalo Bills, replaced by Daniel Brunskill. After that, he barely saw the field, playing only nine offensive snaps over the final 14 games. NINE! Most of his action was on special teams. To make matters worse, the dude missed the entire 2024 season after tearing his ACL in the preseason. Even back then, the then-GM Chris Grier was reportedly entertaining trade calls for Smith. And the final nail in the coffin? He struggled big time in pass protection during the spring practices that were open to the media. When you're not cutting it in pass pro, especially after an injury, your time is limited, and Monday just made that official. As for Carter Warren, he was waived-injured and wasn't even seen during practices due to some undisclosed issue.

Who's Left to Block? The Scary Numbers

So, with Smith and Warren out, the Dolphins are left with eight players listed as tackles or guard/tackles. That sounds okay on paper, but the deeper you dig, the scarier it looks for their depth. Their projected starting offensive line has Patrick Paul and Austin Jackson at tackle, first-round pick Kadyn Proctor and Jonah Savaiinaea at guard, and newly extended Aaron Brewer at center. Seems solid, right? Well, let's talk backups. The other guys on the roster for tackle or guard/tackle spots are veteran newcomers Jamaree Salyer and Charlie Heck. Then there are the young bucks: Josh Priebe, Marques Cox, and Kevin Cline. Here's the kicker: Priebe, Cox, and Cline have ZERO NFL regular season experience. Yep, you read that right. Zero. That leaves Salyer and Heck as the only "solid backup options" at tackle, and that's only if Proctor stays put at left guard for his rookie year. But wait, there's more potential drama! Salyer could totally be an option to start at right guard if Savaiinaea isn't the answer "over the summer". If that happens, then Heck becomes the *only* proven option at tackle. Only one guy. Think about that for a second. So what's the deal here? If Salyer steps up to guard, then Charlie Heck is the *only* proven backup tackle on that entire roster. That's a super thin line to walk for any team, especially when your other options haven't seen a single regular season snap in the NFL. The Dolphins have some major decisions to make about their offensive line over the summer. You know how crucial O-line play is to any team's success, and right now, their depth chart is looking real shaky. Definitely something to keep an eye on!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.